3/28/2022 12:22:07 AM EST
Lexie Hull and Haley Jones combined for 38 points and No. 1 Stanford reached the Final Four with a 59-50 victory against second seed Texas in Spokane, Wash., on Sunday.The Cardinal (32-3), winners of 24 straight games, will continue the defense of their 2021 NCAA title Friday in the national semifinal against either North Carolina State or UConn.Texas (29-7) was in the Elite Eight for the second straight season but have not played in the Final Four since 2003. The Longhorns had a 14-game winning streak end.Hull had 20 points, Jones 18 points and 12 rebounds and Cameron Brink scored all 10 of her points in the second half for the Cardinal.Joanne Allen-Taylor led the Longhorns with 15 points and Rori Harmon added 14. Audrey Warren hit three 3-pointers and scored 11 points for Texas.The game was a rematch from Nov. 14, when the Longhorns went to Stanford and earned a 61-56 win in the second game of the season for both teams.The Cardinal took a 45-40 lead into the fourth quarter and extended the margin to 50-43 before Texas reeled off five straight points.Stanford responded with Hull making an old-fashioned three-point play. Aaliyah Moore made a jumper for Texas but Hull made another foul shot for a 54-50 score and Jones added a pair from the line with 1:02 left. The lead grew to 58-50 on two free more free throws for Jones with 41 seconds left.The score was tied 14-14 after the first quarter thanks to a buzzer-beater by Jones to end a field-goal drought of 4:48 for Stanford.Stanford found its shooting touch late for the 30-27 halftime lead, hitting six of its final eight shots. Hull led the Cardinal, who were 1 of 8 from 3-point range, with 12 points.--Field Level Media