The Gophers women’s basketball team shot 54.5 percent from three-point range and outscored Eastern Illinois 29-6 in the second quarter to erase an early deficit and run away with an 81-52 nonconference victory Wednesday night at Williams Arena.

Grace Grocholski led Minnesota’s balanced offense with 16 points, and Annika Stewart and Tori McKinney added 14 each as the Gophers improved to 6-0 on the season.

Eastern Illinois (0-4) led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter when the Gophers took control with a dominant second-quarter surge for a 46-24 lead at halftime.

Minnesota outrebounded Eastern Illinois 34-29. The Gophers’ defense forced 18 turnovers that were converted into 11 points. Minnesota committed just 10 turnovers in the game.

— Staff report

UConn 85, Fairleigh Dickinson 41 >> Geno Auriemma became the winningest coach in NCAA college basketball history, earning his 1,217th victory as No. 2 UConn beat Fairleigh Dickinson 85-41.

Auriemma broke a tie with retired Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer for the most victories all-time. Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski holds the men’s record with 1,202. Auriemma began his journey with UConn in 1985 and is 1,217-162 in his career. He has only had one losing season — his first one with the Huskies.

The Huskies (4-0) celebrated Auriemma and associated head coach Chris Dailey’s 40 years at the school with more than 60 alums, including former UConn greats Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and Rebecca Lobo in attendance.

UConn’s latest star led the way as Paige Bueckers had 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Freshman Sarah Strong had 20 points.

FDU (4-2) hung around for the first few minutes and only trailed 14-12 before UConn scored nine of the final 11 points of the quarter. The Knights didn’t get within single digits the rest of the way.

SOUTH CAROLINA 77, CLEMSON 45 >> Te-Hina Paopao had 13 points and Ashlyn Watkins added 10 points and 11 rebounds as No. 1 South Carolina set a school record with its 43rd straight win by beating rival Clemson.

The Gamecocks (5-0) struggled to find the basket for about 15 minutes and trailed 17-12 midway through the second quarter before breaking off a 17-0 run to take control.

TEXAS 83, TARLETON STATE 41 >> Madison Booker scored 25 points to lead No. 4 Texas over Tarleton State.

Booker, an Associated Press preseason All-American, scored 20 in the first half, pacing Texas to a 53-23 lead at the break. Booker played nine minutes in the second half.

Shay Holle added 14 points for the Longhorns (4-0). Rori Harmon had 11 points and four steals.

NORTHERN IOWA 87, NO. 8 IOWA STATE 75 >> Maya McDermott scored a career-high 37 points and Kayla Laube added 21 as Northern Iowa beat No. 8 Iowa State.

The Panthers (3-1) trailed 53-45 with 7:36 left in the third quarter before going on a 31-7 run over the next 12:17.

McDermott continually cut through Iowa State’s defense, making 14 of 21 shots, including 3 of 4 3-pointers.

Men

Alabama 100, Illinois 87 >> Grant Nelson scored 23 points and Aden Holloway had 18 to lead No. 8 Alabama to a 100-87 win over No. 25 Illinois in a matchup of Elite Eight teams from last season at Legacy Arena.

Freshman Labaron Philon had 16 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help the Crimson Tide (4-1) overcome a scoreless night from preseason All-American Mark Sears.

Latrell Wrightsell Jr. also had 16 points for Alabama. Nelson opened the game with three straight 3-pointers.

Will Riley led Illinois (3-1) with 18 points and nine rebounds while Kylan Boswell added 17 and Kasparas Jakucionis had 15. Tomislav Ivisic had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 23 Texas A&M 71, Southern U. 54 >> Wade Taylor IV scored 17 points and Zhuric Phelps added 16 as No. 23 Texas A&M erased a 16-point deficit in a 71-54 victory over Southern.

The slow-starting Aggies (4-1) shot 23% from the field in the first half (8 for 35) and fell behind 39-25 at the break. Texas A&M used a 19-0 run midway through the second to repel Southern’s upset bid, outscoring the Jaguars 46-15 in the final 20 minutes.

Jordan Johnson had 19 points for Southern (1-4). He helped the Jaguars build their big early lead by hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the first half.

Rutgers 74, Merrimack 63 >> Freshman Ace Bailey scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead No. 24 Rutgers to a 74-63 win over Merrimack.

It was the second straight wire-to-wire win for Rutgers (4-0). The Scarlet Knights beat Monmouth 98-81 on Friday.

Freshman Dylan Harper added 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists for Rutgers.

Adam Clark led Merrimack (1-3) with 22 points and six assists, and Sean Trumper added 10 points.

Rutgers was 7 of 17 from beyond the arc (41%). Merrimack was just 4 of 24 from 3-point range (17%).

Merrimack got to within 65-58 with 2:53 to go, before Rutgers went on a 7-0 run.

Penn State 102, Purdue Fort Wayne 89 >> Ace Baldwin Jr. scored 25 points and distributed 11 assists and Yanic Konan Niederhauser recorded a double-double and Penn State beat Purdue Fort Wayne 102-89.

Konan Niederhauser scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Zach Hicks scored 17 points, reserve Nick Kern Jr. 13 and Freddie Dilione V and Puff Johnson and 11 apiece.

Undefeated Penn State (5-0) shot 34 of 61 (55.7%) distributing 25 assists.

— Associated Press