The top-seeded Stanford women’s basketball team lost to Mississippi 54-49 in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament, a defeat that came as a shock to everyone. Cameron Brink, who had been sick with a stomach bug, put up a valiant effort and scored 20 points, but the team struggled on two consecutive inbounds plays, turning the ball over both times, and lost by five. The loss was a reminder that anything can happen in sports, even to the best teams.
Women’s basketball has changed significantly in the past 15 years, with talent running much deeper, and upsets are now more likely. Even in their state of shock, the Stanford players could appreciate the bigger picture. With the defeat, Mississippi will head to the Sweet Sixteen in Seattle, while Stanford’s season comes to an abrupt end. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the future looks bright for Stanford women’s basketball.
In a stunning turn of events, the top-seeded Stanford women’s basketball team fell short of the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. Mississippi pulled off an upset by defeating Stanford 54-49 in a historic game played at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California. The four seniors on the Stanford team did not expect to end their season in such a disappointing fashion, losing on their home court to an eighth-seeded team. The fans who witnessed the game were equally shocked and numb, as they had not seen such a loss in a long time.
The Stanford team was known as the “Funky Four,” and they had dubbed themselves with that name. They knew that the end of the season could be out of their control, just like what had happened during the pandemic. However, losing on their home court was unexpected. The seniors had always aimed for the Final Four, which had resulted in a national championship before.
Haley Jones, a member of the Stanford team, expressed her disbelief after the loss, saying that she was in shock. She also added that losing a game that the team knew wasn’t their best was tough. The images of the four seniors walking off the court after the game, as captured by Scott Strazzante’s photographs, summed up the heartbreak felt by the Stanford team.
Despite the loss, Stanford had an impressive season, and their performance had made them one of the NCAA’s elite teams. However, the Ole Miss victory marked an abrupt change for Stanford, who would now have to go back to the drawing board and prepare for the next season. The defeat was a reminder that anything can happen in sports and that even the best teams can fall short on any given day.
The Stanford women’s basketball team entered the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament with a chip on their shoulder, feeling disrespected by the brackets and picks. However, their performance in the final month of the season had been wobbly, making them vulnerable. Despite the team’s efforts to find the right combinations in practice, their offense struggled during the game against Mississippi, resulting in 21 turnovers and only seven points scored in the second quarter.
Coach Tara VanDerveer took responsibility for the team’s struggles, admitting that both Haley and Cameron felt they had to do everything by themselves. Junior guard Agnes Emma-Nnopu had urged the team to be tough and not let anyone “punk” them. However, Mississippi came in with confidence, playing fearlessly against Stanford’s size, reputation, and crowd.
Mississippi’s physicality level was extremely high, and their team was not intimidated by Stanford. They outrebounded Stanford 44-39 and made three more three-point shots. The Cardinal were uncharacteristically sloppy, throwing the ball all around the court and missing layup after layup. At one point in the third quarter, Stanford had gone over six minutes without a field goal, falling behind by 13 points.
Despite the stunning defeat, Stanford’s season had been impressive, and they were considered one of the NCAA’s elite teams. However, the Ole Miss victory marked an abrupt change for Stanford, who would need to regroup and prepare for the next season. The defeat was a reminder that anything could happen in sports, and even the best teams could fall short on any given day.
Coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin had praised her team’s fearlessness and had mentioned that they were not intimidated by Stanford’s reputation. Mississippi’s victory was well deserved, and it showcased the team’s ability to compete against the best teams in the nation. The game proved that confidence, physicality, and fearlessness are critical components of any winning team, and Mississippi had all of these qualities in abundance.
Despite fighting hard and putting up a valiant effort, the top-seeded Stanford women’s basketball team lost to Mississippi 54-49 in the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament. Haley Jones, who was 7-of-19 from the field, admitted that the team had missed a lot of shots during the game. However, Cameron Brink, who had been sick with a stomach bug and was unable to play in the first game, scored 20 points and ignited the crowd with seven blocked shots. She made free throws to tie the game with 43 seconds left, giving the team hope of a comeback.
Unfortunately, Stanford struggled on two consecutive inbounds plays, turning the ball over both times, and lost by five. The defeat was a shock to everyone, as Stanford usually wins and advances in March. It was the first time that Stanford had lost an NCAA game that they hosted since 2007.
Women’s basketball has changed significantly in the past 15 years, and the level of talent has increased. Upsets are now more likely, and teams are much more competitive. Even in their state of shock, the Stanford players could appreciate the bigger picture. Haley Jones acknowledged that it said a lot for women’s basketball to have an eighth seed like Ole Miss, as talented as they are.
With the loss, Mississippi will head to the Sweet Sixteen in Seattle, while Stanford’s season comes to an abrupt end. The defeat was a reminder that anything can happen in sports, and even the best teams can fall short on any given day.
For the Stanford players, the shock of the defeat will take some time to wear off. However, they can take comfort in the fact that they had an impressive season and were considered one of the NCAA’s elite teams. Jones and Brink will return to lead the team next season, along with Hannah Jump, who will be coming back for a fifth year. Fran Belibi will be headed to Harvard to pursue her dream of becoming a pediatrician. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the future looks bright for Stanford women’s basketball.
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