SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Haley Jones scored 17 points and Stanford beat Arizona 54-53, giving the Cardinal and coach Tara VanDerveer – a former Schenectady resident…
Stanford holds off Arizona 54-53 to win women’s NCAA title
Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer watches from the bench during the first half of the championship game against Arizona in the women s Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 4, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Morry Gash
Arizona guard Helena Pueyo (13) and guard Aari McDonald (2) talk with head coach Adia Barnes, right, during the first half of the championship game against Stanford in the women s Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 4, 2021, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Morry Gash) Morry Gash
Stanford won after stopping Arizona on the last possession.Credit.Elsa/Getty Images
In a finish that came down to the last five seconds of the game, Stanford won its third national championship, defeating Arizona, 54-53.
Stanford committed a shot clock violation with its final possession and a 1-point lead, giving the Wildcats a last chance to seize the game. They didn’t as Aari McDonald missed a final heave, and the Cardinal claimed their first title since 1992.
It was the third national title for Stanford’s coach, Tara VanDerveer, which made her just the fourth women’s college basketball coach to win three or more national championships.
“Getting through all the things we got through, we’re excited to win the COVID championship,” VanDerveer said. ”The other one was not quite as close, the last one. But we’re really excited. No one knows the score, no one knows who scored, it’s a national championship.”
It wasn’t a masterpiece by any stretch with both teams struggling to score and missing easy layups and shots, but Stanford did just enough to pull off the win it’s second straight by a point.
Stanford (31-2) built a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter before Arizona (21-6) cut it to 51-50 on star guard Aari McDonald’s 3-pointer.
Stanford (31-2) built a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter before Arizona (21-6) cut it to 51-50 on star guard Aari McDonald s 3-pointer.
After a timeout, Jones answered with a three-point play with 2:24 left. That would be Stanford s last basket of the game. McDonald got the Wildcats with 54-53 with 36.6 seconds left converting three of four free throws.
Stanford Cardinal players celebrate with the trophy after their win over the Arizona Wildcats in the championship game of the NCAA Women s Basketball Tournament at Alamodome on April 4, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas. Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images I just owe it all to my teammates, they have confidence in me when I don t have confidence in myself, said Jones, who was honored as the tournament s Most Outstanding Player. I saw they needed me to come up big and I did.