Smith hits a late 3-pointer to lift No. 10 Stanford to a win
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Alanna Smith hit a 3-pointer with 34 seconds left and No. 10 Stanford scored the final nine points of the game to beat Arizona 56-54 on Friday night.
Stanford trailed 54-47 before Lacie Hull hit a 3-pointer to start the game-ending run with 4:10 left, ending a nearly five minute scoreless streak for the Cardinal (22-4, 11-3 Pac 12). Smith then hit consecutive 3-pointers to Stanford the lead.
Aari McDonald, who scored 20 points for the Wildcats, missed two free throws with 17 seconds left, but Arizona had a chance when Destiny Graham stole the Cardinal inbound pass after Stanford called timeout. McDonald’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer went in and out preserving the Cardinal’s win.
Smith scored 21 points and had nine rebounds for Stanford. Hull added 15 points.
McDonald added a team high seven rebounds and six assists for the Wildcats (17-9, 7-9), who have not won at Stanford since 2001. Graham had 11 points.
Graham hit a 3-pointer with 8:06 remaining to play and Arizona took a five-point lead. The Wildcats added a basket at 4:39 which was their final points of the game.
Stanford led for most of the game until Arizona took a 42-40 lead midway through the third quarter. McDonald hit a lay-up at the buzzer to give the Wildcats a 47-45 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Hull’s 3-pointer late in the second quarter gave the Cardinal a 35-27 halftime advantage.
BIG PICTURE
Oregon’s Sabrina Ionescu may overshadow Arizona’s McDonald but the redshirt sophomore continues a sensational season. She’s the nation’s third-leading scorer and has reached double figures in every game this season. The last Arizona player to score in every game was Dee Dee Wheeler in 2003-04. McDonald is now within 13 points of Adia Barnes’ Arizona single-season scoring record.
Stanford has been dominating the series with Arizona, winning 32 of the previous 33 meetings.
UP NEXT
Arizona plays at California on Sunday.
Stanford hosts Arizona State on Sunday.
