Tue Apr 1 01:25:29 2008

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Wiggins' 41 carries Stanford over Maryland and into Final Four

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Spokane, WA (Sports Network) - Candice Wiggins scored 41 points to lead Stanford back to the Final Four with a 98-87 win over top-seeded Maryland Monday night.

JJ Hones added a career-best 23 points for the second-seeded Cardinal (34-3), who won the Spokane Regional final of the women's NCAA Tournament. Kayla Pedersen added 15 points and Jayne Appel chipped in 11 points and nine rebounds in the victory.

Stanford, trying for its third title and first since 1992, will face either Connecticut or Rutgers on Sunday in Tampa. This is Stanford's first trip Final Four trip since 1997 when the Cardinal lost by a point to Old Dominion in the national semifinals.

Kristi Toliver had 35 points for the Terps (33-4), who lost despite shooting 54.1 percent from the field and outrebounding Stanford, 36-29. Marissa Coleman had 16 points, Crystal Langhorne 13, while Laura Harper and Marah Strickland each scored 10.

Despite the effort, Stanford won its 22nd straight game and the Terps were denied their chance at a second title in three years after beating Duke in overtime in the 2006 championship contest.

Three straight shots from beyond the arc, including two from Hones gave the Cardinal 10 in a row late in the first half for a 51-38 lead. Toliver then hit a three to end the half, but the Terps still trailed despite shooting 64.3 percent in the first session.

Another three from Toliver had the Terps within 56-51 with 14:53 left, but the Cardinal took command again with the next eight points, culminated by a layup from Appel.

Maryland was no closer than eight points for the remainder of the game.