KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- Michigan State and Stanford
finally get to settle who is No. 1 in the Kansas City Region
when they meet on Tuesday for a berth in the Women's Final
Four.
Stanford entered the tournament as the nation's top-ranked
team, but was seeded second behind the Spartans in the region.
The Cardinal won their 23rd consecutive game, the second-longest
streak in school history, and ended Connecticut's quest for a
fourth straight national crown with a 76-59 victory on Sunday.
Freshman Candice Wiggins, the Pac 10 Player of the Year, scored
21 points and had a turnover-free second-half against the
Huskies, while hitting 11-of-12 free throws. Stanford held
Connecticut to 32 percent shooting (22-of-68) from the floor.
The Cardinal, who won back-to-back national titles, are in their
second straight regional final and 10th overall, but have not
been to the Final Four in eight years.
Michigan State has a chance to become the second school besides
Connecticut in 2005 to win national championships in both the
men's and women's tournaments in the same season.
The Spartans reached their first-ever regional final by ousting
Vanderbilt, 76-64, on Sunday. Kristin Haynie recorded the
second triple-double in school history with 13 points, 10
rebounds and 10 assists.
Kelli Roehrig scored 18 and Lindsay Bowen added 14 for Michigan
State, which trailed by seven points at the half, but went on an
18-3 run to break open the contest for a school-record 15th
straight win.
Stanford has won both previous meetings against Michigan State.
The teams have not faced each other since 1989.