Fairmont, Alter, Wayne grads get wins in NCAA tournament

For the second year in a row, Fairmont High School graduate Madison Bartley helped lead Belmont University to a first-round upset victory in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament.

Bartley had eight points, seven rebounds and two assists Saturday as 12th-seeded Belmont knocked off fifth-seeded Oregon, 73-70 in double overtime. Bartley got in foul trouble in the third quarter, but managed to stay in the game with four fouls through the fourth quarter and both overtimes.

Sophomore guard Tuti Jones led Belmont with 22 points and four steals. Belmont will face in-state rival Tennessee, a four-seed, on the Volunteers’ home floor Monday. The game is a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN.

Belmont was also a 12 seed in last year’s tournament, defeating Gonzaga in the first round.

Bartley, a sophomore, has been Belmont’s second-leading scorer this season (11.7 points), while leading the team in rebounds and blocked shots.

Fairmont’s Westbeld leads ND

Maddy Westbeld, a high school teammate of Bartley’s at Fairmont, scored a team-leading 19 points and grabbed five rebounds Saturday to help lift Notre Dame to an 89-78 win over Massachusetts in a first-round NCAA game in Norman, Okla.

Westbeld made 8 of 11 shots from the field and both of her free throws Saturday in a turnover-free 35 minutes. The 6-3 sophomore forward is the Irish’s third-leading scorer this season (11.7 ppg).

Abby Prohaska, a Lakota West grad, added six points, three rebounds and two steals for Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish, a No. 5 seed at 23-8, will face host Oklahoma, a four seed, at 6 p.m. Monday on ESPN2 in the second round. Oklahoma defeated 13th-seeded IUPUI 78-72 on Saturday.

Alter’s Miller part of OSU win

Also Monday, Alter High grad Braxtin Miller and the sixth-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes will take on third-seeded LSU in Baton Rouge. The second-round NCAA tournament game is an 8 p.m. tipoff on ESPN2.

Miller, a senior, struggled offensively in OSU’s 63-56 first-round win over Missouri State, shooting 0-for-9 and posting one point. But her defense was key, as she had four steals and two blocked shots.

Miller averaged 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists for OSU this season.

Wayne’s Hall plays for No. 1 team

No. 1 seed South Carolina completely dominated Howard in the first round Friday, 79-21, and Wayne High grad Bree Hall scored 8 points for the Gamecocks in the victory.

Hall, a freshman, has appeared in all but one game for the No. 1-ranked Gamecocks this year, averaging 3 points per game.

Hall didn’t score Sunday in South Carolina’s 49-33 win over No. 8 seed Miami.

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About the Author

Jeremy P. Kelley

Jeremy Kelley is the assistant news editor for the Dayton Daily News. Jeremy is a Cincinnati native and has lived in the Dayton area for 30-plus years.