Stanford cruises into Elite Eight

SAN ANTONIO — Missouri State had waited two years to get another crack at the Sweet 16 and Stanford, only to watch the Cardinal turn their rematch into a romp.

Hannah Jump scored 17 points off the bench and top seed Stanford strolled past the No. 5 Lady Bears 89-62 to earn a spot in the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament for the 21st time.

Stanford led by 23 at halftime and by as much as 38 in the fourth quarter as the Cardinal kept up their postseason barrage of 3-pointers by making 15.

The Cardinal (28-2) have made at least 13 from long range in each of their three tournament games. Jump led the way Sunday with five.

“We try to ride the hot hand,” said Kiana Williams, Stanford’s career leader in 3-pointers who made four and scored 16 points. “It’s hard to guard us because you can’t just focus on one person.”

The tournament’s overall No. 1 seed advanced to Tuesday’s Alamo Region final.

A win there would send Stanford to its 14th Final Four.

Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer has won two national championships, but none since 1992.

“I still don’t think we’re playing our best basketball yet,” guard Anna Wilson said. “We’re playing really well. We’re clicking and in a lot of different ways than usual. But I think that each player has a lot more to give to the team . ... I think that with the trajectory we’re going in, it will be good timing. We don’t want to peak too early.”

Evans leads Oregon: Dana Evans scored 29 points and No. 2 seed Louisville advanced to the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament with a 60-42 win over sixthseeded Oregon on Sunday night.

The Cardinals will face top seed Stanford on Tuesday night in the Alamo Region final.

Louisville (26-3) continued its stellar defensive play, holding Oregon (15-9) to 14 points in the first half, including six in the second quarter.

Evans provided the offense. After going scoreless in the first quarter, the All-America guard took over.