SPOKANE, Wash. — The reigning champions are again within the Remaining 4. No. 1-seeded Stanford beat No. 2 Texas, 59-50, on Sunday to succeed in its fifteenth N.C.A.A. event nationwide semifinals.
The Cardinal had been cheered on by a Spokane Area crowd decidedly of their court docket because of followers of the Hull twins, Lexie and Lacie, who grew up in Spokane. Lexie Hull was the sport’s main scorer with 20 factors on 7 of 14 taking pictures.
The sport was chippy, bodily and quick from the tip-off, with both sides blocking pictures and making robust appears to be like. It was precisely the tempo and elegance the Longhorns sought, although Stanford nonetheless discovered methods to attain. Lexie Hull significantly appeared to feed off the group’s enthusiasm for her and her sister, scoring 5 factors within the recreation’s first six minutes and ending the primary half with 12.
“You’re at all times blissful to go to the Remaining 4, however generally you’re actually blissful,” Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer mentioned. “I’m actually blissful. It’s a nice group to be with, they care about one another, they’ll do no matter. Whoever we play — whether or not it’s Connecticut or N.C. State, we’ll be prepared.”
Free throws had been traded beginning early within the recreation, as had been robust defensive performs. At one level, Lacie Hull blocked a shot for a steal on one finish, after which Texas’s Aliyah Matharu took a cost in transition on the opposite. The primary quarter ended 14-14 after Haley Jones hit a tricky buzzer beater, however Texas had held Stanford scoreless for 5 minutes earlier than that.
The Cardinal made simply 39.3 p.c of their pictures from the ground within the first half, however went into the locker room with a 3-point lead — partly because of poor free-throw taking pictures from the Longhorns. Any time Texas would lose persistence and begin taking part in too aggressively, Stanford would make it pay both by making its free throws or by discovering an open participant alongside the baseline.
“We knew tonight was going to be tremendous bodily, and it positively was,” Lexie Hull mentioned. “It got here all the way down to who was grittier.”
It regarded like Stanford may need discovered some separation early within the third, when Lauren Ebo, the Longhorns’ main rebounder, picked up her second and third fouls within the first two minutes of the quarter, and Stanford ahead Cameron Brink scored 5 straight factors in that very same interval.
However Texas saved getting stops, even when it couldn’t constantly convert them into factors, and tied the sport once more. The senior guard Audrey Warren contributed essential 3-point pictures to maintain the Longhorns inside hanging distance, and performed spectacular protection on Haley Jones.
“That protection may be very taxing,” Jones mentioned. “I’m excited to get again and bathe and get to mattress.”
Jones was capable of deliver Stanford’s lead again as much as 5 factors by the top of the third quarter, when she was fouled taking pictures a 3-point shot and made all her free throws. A 5-point lead is strictly what the Cardinal had introduced into the fourth quarter of their first matchup towards the Longhorns this season — a defeat to Texas on their dwelling court docket in November for considered one of solely three losses this season.
The push and pull continued within the fourth, however the Longhorns had been by no means capable of get again forward and replicate their early-season upset. Texas got here inside 2 factors within the last minutes, however continued to be haunted by missed free throws. The Longhorns completed 11 of 20 from the free-throw line.
Stanford received its twenty fourth consecutive recreation, the longest energetic streak in Division I. Cameron Brink excelled within the second half, shutting down Texas’ inside offense with six blocks.
“They did sufficient issues to beat us, and that’s what nice groups do,” Texas Coach Vic Schaefer mentioned. “We had a nasty fourth quarter scoring the basketball, and apart from that we left all of it on the ground.”
Jones completed with a double-double because of her consistency on the line, the place she shot 10 of 11. Jones had 18 factors and 12 rebounds and was named essentially the most excellent participant within the Spokane regional.
In the end, Stanford took management of the low-scoring recreation, and efficiently avenged its loss. Texas was eradicated within the spherical of 8 for the second straight yr.
“We’re listening to his postgame discuss, and we’re like, ‘However that is solely the primary yr,’” freshman Rori Harmon mentioned, alluding to Texas’ different younger gamers. “I’m upset about this one, however I’m prepared for extra.”
