The Stanford Cardinal continued into the final seconds and defeated the University of Arizona’s Wildcats 54-53 Sunday night in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Final.
Wildcats star point guard Aari McDonald had a chance to try one last three-point shot before the siren went off, but the ball hit the ring but didn’t enter the basket.
It is the Cardinal’s third national title, and the first since 1992, for the basketball program that began in 1974.
Ontarian Alyssa Jerome played five minutes during the match and lifted the trophy with her Cardinal teammates. Jerome became the first Canadian to win a national title since Kia Nurse, who spent two years in a row with University of Connecticut Huskies (2015, 2016).
This victory also comes with the loss of the other Canadian, the Torontonian China Billington. Billington scored 15 points and 7 rebounds in 30 minutes for the Wildcats.
Canadian Andrew Nimbard will also have the opportunity to be crowned NCAA champion Monday night. Nembhard and Gonzaga University Bulldogs will face Baylor University Bears in the men’s tournament final.
According to Canadian Basketball Records, Canadians never won NCAA men’s and women’s titles in the same year. The National Collegiate Athletic Association began hosting a women’s championship in 1982.
Natalie Sinclair is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, accurate reporting and useful information that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Her work highlights timely developments, relevant stories, and practical insights in a professional and reader-friendly manner.