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Still dancing: How former Rochester players fared in the NCAA tournaments

Ryan Miller
Democrat and Chronicle

Most of the former Section V stars advanced in the NCAA Tournament.

Three of the five Rochester area players in the men's tournament won their first-round games and advanced to the weekend for a crack at the Sweet 16.

Buffalo's Cierra Dillard extended her fabulous career and helped the Bulls move on to face perennial powerhouse Connecticut in the women's tournament.

Here is how they performed on the big stage in March Madness: 

Nahziah Carter, Washington

Washington's Nahziah Carter (11) tries to dunk over Utah State's Neemias Queta (23) in the second half during a first round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio, March 22, 2019.

Win: No. 9 Washington 78, No. 8 Utah State 61

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How he played: The Bishop Kearney graduate came up huge off the bench for the Huskies and finished with 13 points, 4 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Washington's lead was just one point when Carter knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead to 60-53 with under nine minutes left. Carter nearly through threw down a dunk over 6-foot-11-inch Portugal national team member member Neemias Queta.

What's next: Washington (27-8) advances to play the winner of No. 1 North Carolina (27-6) /No. 16 Iona (17-15) on Sunday.

Dontay Caruthers, Buffalo

Dontay Caruthers of the Buffalo Bulls lays up against De'Quon Lake of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half of the first round game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at BOK Center on March 22, 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Win: No. 6 Buffalo 91, No. 11 Arizona State 74

How he played: Caruthers was his usual high-energy, tenacious self on defense in the Bulls' convincing win. Caruthers, a former All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year at East, had 9 points, 3 rebounds and 1 steal in 19 minutes off the bench. He converted a three-point play in the second half to give UB a 60-42 lead.

What's next: Buffalo (32-3) advances to play No. 3 Texas Tech (27-6) on Sunday.

More:Buffalo is for real: 5 things to know about UB Bulls' dismantling of Arizona State

More:Buffalo proves it can make deep tourney run with blowout over Arizona State

Jeenathan Williams, Buffalo

Buffalo's Jeenathan Williams (11) drives around Arizona State's Taeshon Cherry during the first half of a first round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Friday, March 22, 2019, in Tulsa, Okla. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Win: No. 6 Buffalo 91, No. 11 Arizona State 74

How he played: Williams, who was an AGR player at UPrep before transferring to Prolific Prep in Napa, California, scored three points in nine minutes of action. Williams' three-point play brought Buffalo into a 14-14 tie with 12:02 to play in the first half. 

What's next: Buffalo (32-3) advances to play No. 3 Texas Tech (27-6) on Sunday.

Anthony Lamb, Vermont

Vermont Catamounts forward Anthony Lamb (3) controls the ball in front of Florida State Seminoles guard M.J. Walker (23) during the first half of a game in the first round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at XL Center. Lamb and Vermont won their 2019-20 season opener at St. Bonaventure on Friday.

Loss: No. 4 Florida State 76, No. 13 Vermont 69

How he played: Lamb led Vermont with 16 points and added 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks but it wasn't enough to upset Florida State. Lamb, a two-time AGR Player of the Year at Greece Athena and the America East Player of the Year at Vermont, struggled from the field. He was 4-for-13 from the field and 3 of 10 from 3-point range. The junior has played in the NCAA Tournament in two of his three seasons with the Catamounts. 

Quinton Rose, Temple

Belmont guard/forward Dylan Windler (3) and Temple guard Quinton Rose (1) hit the floor during the first half of the NCAA college basketball tournament First Four game at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday, March 19, 2019.

Loss: No. 11 Belmont 81, No. 11 Temple 70 in First Four game

How he played: Rose had 10 points and 3 rebounds but never got into a groove, going 4 of 13 from the field. 

Women's Tournament

Cierra Dillard, Buffalo

Buffalo's Cierra Dillard (24) pumps her fist at the buzzer after Rutgers in a first-round game in the NCAA women's college basketball tournament, Friday, March 22, 2019, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Stephen Dunn)

Win: No. 10 Buffalo 82, No. 7 Rutgers 71

How she played: The nation's second-leading scorer had 24 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals in the Bulls' upset, if you can call it an upset. Dillard, who was the 2014 AGR Player of the Year and won two Section V titles at Gates Chili, shot 6 of 17 from the field but made four 3-pointers. Dillard had two steals in the final two minutes with Buffalo ahead 76-71.

What's next: Buffalo advances to play No. 2 UConn (32-2) on Sunday. The Bulls will try to make their second straight Sweet 16. 

More:Gates Chili's Cierra Dillard is a woman on a mission at the University at Buffalo

RCMiller@Gannett.com