Washington reaches women's Final Four with 85-76 victory over Stanford

Mar 27, 2016 | 4:13 PM

Kelsey Plum scored 26 points, Chantel Osahor had 24 points and 18 rebounds, and Washington defeated Stanford, 85-76, Sunday in the Lexington (Ky.) Regional final to earn its first women's basketball Final Four appearance.

The No. 7-seeded Huskies scored the game's first 12 points and stayed ahead the rest of the way. Washington (26-10) will play Syracuse in a semifinal game April 3 at Indianapolis.

No. 4-seeded Stanford was seeking its 13th Final Four appearance and seventh in the last nine years.

Lili Thompson scored 19 points for the Cardinal (27-8). Erica McCall had 17 points, all in the second half, and 15 rebounds.

It was the first regional final between two Pac-12 Conference schools since Stanford beat USC, 82-62, on its way to winning the national championship in 1992.

Stanford cut Washington's lead to 67-63 with 7 minutes 19 seconds to play after Karlie Samuelson, Thompson, Marta Sniezek and McCall each made a three-point basket on consecutive possessions.

Syracuse 89, Tennessee 67: Alexis Peterson scored a season-high 29 points, Brianna Butler made three consecutive three-pointers early in the fourth quarter to break open the game, and the Orange advanced to its first women's Final Four with the victory in the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Regional.

Reserve Cornelia Fondren made all six of her shots and finished with 13 points to help Syracuse to its 15th victory in 16 games.

Diamond DeShields had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers (22-14).