Stanford was big in the paint./NCAA
By Michelle Gardner | Arizona Republic
The Arizona women’s basketball team has prided itself on proving its doubters wrong and embracing the role of underdog. Coach Adia Barnes’ team found itself in that position once again, this time facing one of the Pac-12 heavyweights, and one directed by the winningest coach in the women’s game.
But a historic run came to an end in dramatic fashion as the feisty Wildcats came up short against Pac-12 rival Stanford, 54-53, in the NCAA championship game Sunday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, in the first all-Pac 12 championship game in history.
Most didn’t expect the Wildcats to beat Texas A&M in the Sweet 16 or Indiana in the Elite Eight but they won both by double digits. And very few could have predicted a victory over No. 1 and perennial title contender Connecticut in the Final Four. Arizona won that by double digits too.
