LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Alanna Smith’s layup with 23 seconds left capped Stanford’s rally from a 16-point deficit in the second half, Erica McCall blocked a last-second shot and the Cardinal edged top-seeded Notre Dame 76-75 Sunday to reach its first Final Four since 2014.
Brittany McPhee scored 27 as the second-seeded Cardinal (32-5) won its eighth in a row overall. This was the third straight year Stanford and Notre Dame have met in the NCAA Tournament, with the Cardinal winning twice.
Down 47-31 in the third quarter, Stanford surged to end Notre Dame’s 17-game winning streak. The Irish (33-4) had a final shot, but McCall blocked Arike Ogunbowale’s drive near the basket.
The win in the Lexington Regional gives Stanford a chance to pursue its third national championship under coach Tara VanDerveer.
Among those in the crowd at Rupp Arena was Jon Samuelson, whose daughter, Karlie, scored 15 for Stanford. A day earlier, he was at the Bridgeport Regional to see another daughter, UConn star Katie Lou Samuelson, help the Huskies win their 110th straight game.
