COLLEGE BASKETBALL : Colorado Scores Upset Over Stanford, 80-67

Stephanie Mack made nine of 10 free throws in the final 1:44 and Colorado defeated top-seeded Stanford, 80-67, Thursday night in a women’s NCAA West Regional semifinal.

Stanford, the defending NCAA champion, was done in largely by the shooting of Colorado sophomore Shelley Sheetz and the 5-foot-5 Mack’s touch at the line at the finish.

The Cardinal, the Pacific 10 champion, was denied a trip to the Final Four for the first time since 1989.

Big Eight Conference champion Colorado plays Texas Tech in Missoula Saturday night for the West Regional title, the winner advancing to the April 3-4 Final Four at Atlanta.

At times, Stanford seemed to be on the verge of breaking the game open, as it did during an 83-60 second-round victory over Georgia last week. Stanford opened an 8-0 lead and led, 39-36, at halftime.

And when All-American guard Molly Goodenbour sank two three-pointers within a minute from the same spot to give the Cardinal a 48-40 lead, Stanford seemed ready to put the Buffaloes away.

But Jamillah Lang’s jump shot with 8:21 tied the game at 56-56 and 45 seconds later, Mindy Henry gave Colorado a 58-56 lead, its first.

A three-pointer by Sheetz with 3:03 to play gave the Buffaloes a 64-61 lead and Stanford couldn’t get back into the game.

“The game got away from us, we just let it slip away,” said Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer afterward. Sheetz finished with 28 points and Mack 12, including 10 of 12 from the line. Colorado, shooting 22 more free throws than Stanford, made 29 of 38.

Whiting, in her final college game, had 21 points and 14 rebounds.