March 19, 2007
STANFORD, Calif. (AP)- Alicia Gladden scored the final seven points of an 11-0 run that frustrated the Cardinal and sent Florida State to the first second-round win in school history, 68-61 on Monday night.
After Candice Wiggins' 3-pointer gave Stanford a 50-49 lead with 8:40 left, the 10th-seeded Seminoles (24-9) took charge to avenge an 18-point loss in the same round last March.
And Sue Semrau's in-your-face squad featuring one senior -- Gladden -- gets to play out West in the Fresno Regional later this week.
Shante Williams scored 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting, Mara Freshour had 15 and Gladden added 12 points and six rebounds, scoring the first of her seven consecutive points with 6:46 left. Second-seeded Stanford (29-5) never recovered, making an early exit in Maples Pavilion just the way the Cardinal did four years ago against Minnesota in a heartbreaking defeat that kept them from playing on campus the next week in the regionals.
Candice Wiggins led Stanford with 19 points, Jayne Appel finished with 14 points and eight boards and Brooke Smith added 12 points and eight rebounds. Wiggins and Smith played all 40 minutes.
Appel became Stanford's single-season record holder for blocked shots when she swatted away a lay-up attempt by Florida State's Nikki Anthony at the 11:44 mark of the first half. For good measure, Appel blocked Anthony's ensuing try to give her a total of 60 and finished with 61. The previous mark of 58 was established by Cori Enghusen in 2001-02.
Florida State connected on 15-24 free throw attempts while Stanford was just 7-14. The Seminoles outscored the Cardinal 43-32 in the second half.
Florida State, which only 10 years ago went winless in the ACC, beat a top-25 team for the first time in six tries this season -- eliminating another storied program after taking out Old Dominion in its opener.
Stanford connected on 4-18 tries from beyond the arc while Florida State made 5-10.
Cissy Pierce was a cold 1-for-8, and 0-for-4 on 3s, after scoring 14 during a first-round win over Idaho State and Brooke Smith was held to 12 points and eight rebounds after scoring a season-high 29 in Saturday's win.
NOTES: Stanford is now 47-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament competition ... Stanford took its first lead of the game at 25-23 with 2:51 remaining in the opening half following a hook shot from Brooke Smith ... Florida State is now 1-5 against top-25 opponents this year ... Stanford misfired on its first nine three-point tries until Candice Wiggins opened the second half by sinking her sixth attempt at the 19:17 mark ... Only five Cardinal players have appeared in all 34 games: Jillian Harmon, Michelle Harrison, Kristen Newlin, Cissy Pierce and Brooke Smith ... Tonight marked the final game for Stanford seniors Clare Bodensteiner, Markisha Coleman, Kristen Newlin and Brooke Smith.