SAN ANTONIO: Haley Jones scored 24 factors, together with the go-ahead jumper with 32 seconds left, to assist Stanford beat South Carolina 66-65 on Friday evening and advance to the ladies’s NCAA Tournament championship sport.
Its Stanfords first journey to the title sport since 2010, which was additionally in San Antonio. The Cardinal misplaced to UConn in that contest, 53-47.
The Cardinal (30-2) will play the winner of UConn and Arizona for the title on Sunday evening. Coach Tara VanDerveer shall be in search of her third nationwide championship on the faculty and first since 1992.
Trailing 65-64 with 32 seconds left, Jones hit a jumper from the nook that gave the Cardinal a one-point lead. Aliyah Boston had her shot blocked, however obtained her personal rebound. Then, with 15 seconds left, Destanni Henderson threw a cross that was stolen by Ashten Prechtel.
After an inbounds, Cameron Brink misplaced the ball at midcourt to Boston, giving South Carolina an opportunity. Brea Beal missed a driving layup and Boston’s putback on the buzzer additionally was off the rim, sending the Cardinal onto the court docket to rejoice.
Henderson had scored six consecutive factors to present the Gamecocks (26-5) a 65-64 lead with 38.8 seconds left. She had a three-point play and a 3-pointer.
Zia Cooke completed with 25 factors to steer South Carolina.
Trailing 15-6 halfway by way of the primary quarter, Stanford scored the final 9 factors of the interval to tie the sport heading into the second. The Gamecocks missed their remaining six pictures of the quarter and have been scoreless for the ultimate 4:48.
We know basketball groups have runs, so we cant let that first quarter or the primary 5 minutes dictate the entire sport, stated Stanford’s Lexie Hull, who had 18 factors and 13 rebounds.
The drought continued within the second quarter because the Gamecocks missed their first 5 pictures and didn’t hit a subject purpose till Zia Cooke’s 3-pointer within the quarter made it 22-20. She had hit the earlier basket almost 9 1/2 minutes earlier.
The Cardinal had outscored the Gamecocks 16-2 for the reason that early deficit.
Stanford led 31-25 on the half as Prechtel picked up the place she left off from the win over Louisville within the Elite Eight. She had 16 factors, all within the second half, to assist the Cardinal rally to beat Louisville. She had seven within the opening 20 minutes in opposition to South Carolina.
Boston had a stable first half with seven factors, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks for the Gamecocks. She completed with 11 factors, 16 rebounds and 4 blocks.
BANGED UP
Brink got here into the sport banged up after tweaking her leg within the Elite Eight win over Louisville. She had six factors and 6 blocks.
RECORD SHOOTING
Jones hit the primary 3-pointer of the second half for Stanford to interrupt the report for many 3-pointers within the NCAA Tournament. That was the Cardinal’s fifty fifth within the 5 video games, giving them yet one more than UConn had in 2015.
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