Women’s NCAA Spokane Regional: Meet the teams vying for the Final Four

March 22, 2022 Updated Tue., March 22, 2022 at 8:42 p.m.

Stanford guard Lexie Hull dribbles past Kansas’ Chandler Prater during Sunday’s NCAA Tournament second-round game in Stanford, Calif. (Associated Press)

By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com (509) 459-5441

The Spokane Regional of the 2022 Women’s NCAA basketball tournament is Friday and Sunday at the Arena, featuring four of the elite programs in the country from powerhouse conferences.

In the 4 p.m. game, second-seeded Texas faces sixth-seeded Ohio State. In the 6:30 game, top-seeded Stanford takes on fourth-seeded Maryland.

In the final Associated Press women’s Top 25 poll, Stanford was ranked No. 2 with nine of 30 first-place votes. Texas finished No. 6, Maryland was No. 13 and Ohio State No. 14.

Here’s a look at the four teams hoping to punch their ticket to the Women’s Final Four next week in Minneapolis.

(1) Stanford (30-3)

How they got here: Pac-12 champion (16-0). Beat (16) Montana State 78-37 in first round, beat (8) Kansas 91-65 in second round.

Top players: G Haley Jones, jr. (1.26 ppg, 3.6 apg, 7.6 rpg), P Cameron Brink, so. (13.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.4 blocks), G Lexie Hull, sr. (12.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.3 steals).

Coach: Tara VanDerveer (1,155-258). The winningest coach in women’s college basketball history and five-time national coach of the year, VanDerveer was named as Pac-12 women’s coach of the year for the 17th time in 36 seasons.

Synopsis: The region’s top seed is also the defending national champion. Stanford is experienced, long, athletic and tenacious and led by Pac-12 Player of the Year Jones, defensive player of the year Brink, and three-time all-conference selection Hull, who scored 36 points, hitting six 3-pointers, in the Cardinal’s second-round win over Kansas.

During their storied high school career at Central Valley, Hull and twin sister Lacie (4.4 ppg, 2.6 apg, 3.1 rpg) led the Bears to a State 4A title and a win at the prestigious GEICO National tournament their senior year in 2018.

(2) Texas (28-6)

How they got here: Third in Big 12 (13-5). Beat (15) Fairfield 70-52 in first round, beat (7) Utah 78-56 in second round.

Top players: Aliyah Matharu, (12.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.7 steals), G Rori Harmon, fr. (11.4 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.4 rpg, 2.5 steals), G Joanne Allen-Taylor, sr. (11.0 ppg, 1.8 apg), C Lauren Ebo, sr. (8.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg).

Coach: Vic Schaefer (350-188). Last season, his first with Texas, he became just the ninth coach in Division I history to lead two programs to the Elite Eight. In his 17th season as a head coach, Schaefer spent eight years at Mississippi State, seven with Sam Houston State and is a two-time national coach of the year.

Synopsis: This is a second consecutive trip to the regionals for the Longhorns, who fell to South Carolina in a regional final last season.

Freshman Aaliyah Moore has been on a tear , scoring 18 points in Texas’ first-round win and a season-high 21 against Utah on Saturday. The Longhorns shot a season-high 63.6% against Utah.

Harmon was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year; Allen-Taylor was a second-team all-conference pick.

(4) Maryland (23-8)

How they got here: Third in Big 10 (13-4). Beat (13) Delaware 102-71 in first round, beat Florida Gulf Coast 89-65 in second round.

Top players: F Angel Reese, so. (17.4 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.1 blocks), F Chloe Bibby, sr. (12.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg), G Diamond Miller, jr. (12.7 ppg, 2.9 apg), G Ashley Owusu, jr. (14.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg).

Coach: Brenda Frese (569-161). Over 22 seasons – 20 with the Terps – Frese is a two-time national coach of the year who has guided teams to three Final Fours, 14 conference titles and a national championship in 2006. With Maryland, Frese owns 17 straight 20-win seasons, seven 30-win campaigns and 17 bids to the NCAA Tournament.

Synopsis: The Terps can score with anyone, averaging 79 points per game – eighth in the nation – and they hope to avenge a regional semifinal loss to Texas last season. Reese, Miller and Owusu all had 20-plus points in the second-round win over FGCU.

Reese was an All-Big 10 first-team selection. Bibby, Miller and Ashley Owusu were second-team picks. Freshman guard Shyanne Sellers (7.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) was named Big 10 Sixth Player of the Year.

(6) Ohio State (25-6)

How they got here: Tied for first in Big 10 (14-4). Beat (11) Missouri State 63-58 in first round, beat (3) LSU 79-64 in second round.

Top players: G Jacy Sheldon, jr. (19.5 ppg, 4.0 apg), G Taylor Mikesell, sr. (18.8 ppg, 2.0 apg), F Rebeka Mikulasikova, jr. (9.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg).

Coach: Kevin McGuff (451-190). McGuff’s 19-year head coaching career features nine seasons at Xavier and two with Washington (41-26) before arriving in Columbus in 2013. He took Xavier to the Elite Eight in 2009-10 and has reached the Sweet 16 twice with Ohio State (2015-16 and 2016-17).

Synopsis: The Buckeyes are back in the regionals for the first time since 2017. Ohio State is always looking for its next shot, averaging 80 points per game, fourth in the country, and averaging more than eight 3-pointers.

Sheldon and Mikesell were first-team All-Big 10 selections, and Sheldon earned all-defensive honors.