Garzon scores 17, Ciezki adds 16 to lead No. 9 seed Indiana to opening NCAA win over No. 8 seed Utah

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Garzon scores 17, Ciezki adds 16 to lead No. 9 seed Indiana to opening NCAA win over No. 8 seed Utah

2025-03-22 04:46 Last Updated At：04:52

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Yarden Garzon scored 17 points and Shay Ciezki added 16 as No. 9 seed Indiana won its opener for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament with a 76-68 victory over eighth-seeded Utah on Friday.

The Hoosiers (20-12) reached 20 wins and their reward is a likely matchup with the Birmingham 2 Regional's top seed in South Carolina, who will play later Friday against No. 16 seed Tennessee Tech.

“We're familiar with South Carolina,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said.

The Hoosiers lost to the Gamecocks in last year's Sweet 16. Indiana was also the only team to beat coach Dawn Staley's program during the 2019-20 season when COVID-19 canceled the tournament.

Moren and her Hoosiers had been among the top 16 tournament hosts the last four years and acknowledged this week she didn't like packing her bags to travel for NCAA play. But the road challenges gave players a sense of urgency about what they hoped to accomplish.

“We understand if we don't come in and play well, this could be the last game,” she said.

Ciezki had 11 of her 16 points in the final two quarters as Indiana used a 15-4 run in the third period to take control. The Utes (22-9) got within 72-68 on Gianna Kneepkens' 3-pointer with 1:05 left, but could get no closer.

Ciezki said her team's late second-quarter run to go from 31-26 down to a tie was essential for them gaining a foothold on the Utes.

“We got together in the huddle and said we need to bring it back,” Ciezki said. “We need to tie this game going into halftime so we have momentum to come out. And that's what we did.”

Kneepkens led Utah with 24 points, including a four-point play in the fourth quarter.

Indiana: The Hoosiers had been hosts the previous four times they made the NCAAs. They showed a different venue wouldn't change their focus.

Utah: The Utes went cold at the wrong time, missing all six shots and committing two turnovers during a third quarter stretch where they went from up 35-33 to trailing by nine.

Utah coach Gavin Petersen said he was proud of his team for holding things together after the surprise of coach Lynne Roberts leaving to coach the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks just four games into the season. He said it could've been easy for his players to splinter or sulk. None of that happened on the way to an NCAA Tournament berth.

Petersen expects this to springboard into next season.

“We now have to live up to the new standard that we set,” he said.

Garzon hit the tying basket early in the third quarter and Ciezki followed with a 3 that put Indiana ahead for good in starting a 15-4 run.

Kneepkens, Utah's leading scorer, was in tears after being asked about her final time playing for the Utes. She got a follow up about her four-point play, something not very common in NCAA play.

“I guess that's kind of positive,” Kneepkens said. “I wish it could've gotten us going.”

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Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.