Jenni Benningfield scored 15 points as No. 3 Vanderbilt routed Oregon State 81-55 at Nashville in the second round of the Preseason Women’s NIT.
Vanderbilt (2-0) will play Colorado in a midweek semifinal.
The Commodores overcame a scoreless first half by Chantelle Anderson to take a 37-25 lead as Benningfield scored 10 points and Ashley McElhiney nine.
Oregon State (1-1) led 6-2 in the opening three minutes, but Benningfield and McElhiney connected on consecutive three-pointers to make the score 8-6. The Beavers never led again.
– Rosalind Ross scored 16 of her 24 points in the second half as No. 4 Oklahoma beat No. 11 Purdue 80-75 in the Women’s Tip-Off Classic at Durham, N.C.
Purdue (0-1) led 70-67 after a layup by Erika Valek with 3 minutes 53 seconds left, but Ross hit a three-pointer and LaNeishea Caufield scored on a three-point play with 2:20 left.
Ross hit another three-pointer to give Oklahoma a 76-72 lead with 53 seconds left and the Sooners made four straight free throws down the stretch.
Purdue’s Laura Meadows had 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Shereka Wright added 15 points and Kelly Komara had 10 points and seven assists.
