Stanford escapes Xavier scare

Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif.

Jeanette Pohlen drove the length of the court for the game-winning lay-in as the final buzzer sounded, lifting top-seeded Stanford past third-seeded Xavier 55-53 in the Sacramento Regional final Monday night for a third straight trip to the Final Four.

Xavier’s Dee Dee Jernigan missed two wide-open lay-ins in the closing 12 seconds that likely would have sent the Musketeers to San Antonio for their first Final Four.

The Cardinal’s Kayla Pedersen inbounded the ball underneath Xavier’s basket to Pohlen with less than five seconds left.

Pohlen dribbled all the way for the winning shot.

The play was briefly reviewed, then Stanford erupted in celebration once the officials ruled the basket good.

Baylor 51, Duke 48

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

Baylor’s youth nearly cost the Lady Bears a trip to Final Four, and ended up saving the day.

Phenomenal freshman Brittney Griner caught a pass, spun around and hit a short jumper with 45 seconds left to propel fourth-seeded Baylor over No. 2 seed Duke for its second trip to the Final Four.

“I knew we needed that bucket so I did everything I could to get position and to have [the defender] pinned behind me and step through and go up strong,” Griner said.

The 6-foot-8 Griner and her teammates hoisted Kim Mulkey onto their shoulders so the coach could cut down the net. Mulkey led the Lady Bears to their only other appearance in the national semifinals in 2005 en route to the national championship.

Baylor’s men’s team lost to Duke 78-71 on Sunday in the South Regional final.

It was the first time ever that there had been the same regional final matchup in both brackets since the women’s tournament began during the 1981-82 season, according to STATS LLC.

Duke led the entire second half until Griner’s basket and by as much as 10 points.

The Blue Devils held a 46-38 advantage with 4:59 left before a pair of free throws by Kimetria Hayden launched a 13-2 run for the Lady Bears (27-9).