If any game over the remainder of the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament surpasses Stanford’s 87-81 overtime win over Iowa State in terms of clutch plays and excitement, we’re in for an all-time March Madness. The second-round showdown on Sunday night was an instant classic and is easily the front-runner for the best game of the tournament.
The Cardinal were stunned in the second round of last year’s tournament, and nearly suffered the same fate this time around. Kiki Iriafen would not let it happen though, as she poured in a career-high 41 points to go along with 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. And neither would role players Talana Lepolo and Brooke Demetre, who each hit clutch 3-pointers in overtime to withstand a hot-shooting Cyclones team led by Emily Ryan. Ryan hit six triples en route to a career-high 36 points of her own, and the Cyclones went 12 of 19 from downtown as a team.
There were 12 ties and 18 lead changes on the night, the last of which came with 19 seconds to play and gave Stanford the lead for good. With the victory, the Cardinal are on to the Sweet 16, where they’ll face the winner of NC State and Tennessee on Friday. Before then, let’s take a look back at the five…
