Could the Stanford Cardinal be better this 2022 women’s NCAA tournament than the team that went 31-2 to win the national championship last season?
That question seemed laughable in early November, when Texas spoiled the Cardinal’s celebration of the title with a 61-56 come-from-behind win at Maples Pavilion. Stanford would lose a neutral-site game to South Florida later in the month, matching the number of losses during the championship season in just six games.
As the Cardinal and Longhorns prepare for a rematch Sunday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN) in Spokane, Washington, with a spot in the Final Four on the line, Stanford stands 31-3, having completed an undefeated trip through Pac-12 play and cruising to the Elite Eight. The Cardinal’s only loss in that time was 65-61 at No. 1 South Carolina.
After losing to Stanford for a second time this season in Friday’s Sweet 16 match, Maryland coach Brenda…
