Stanford guard Haley Jones, right, drives to the basket as Colorado guard Tayanna Jones, center, and center Aaronette Vonleh defend in the first half at CU Events Center in Boulder Col on Thu Feb 23, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Thursday, February 23, 2023

It took two overtimes in the high altitude to do it, but No. 3 Stanford held off No. 21 Colorado 73-62 Thursday to claim the Pac-12 women’s basketball regular season championship.

Haley Jones scored 13 of her 23 points in the two overtime periods while pulling down 11 rebounds and dishing out seven assists for the Cardinal (27-3 overall, 15-2 Pac-12). Lauren Betts hit 1 of 2 free throws with 3.5 seconds remaining in the second half and finished with 14 points. Hannah Jump also scored 14 points, and Cameron Brink fouled out in OT after being held to eight points, six boards and four blocks.

Stanford outscored the Buffaloes 13-2 in the second overtime period, It was the first double-overtime game for the Cardinal since 2017.

Jaylyn Sherrod led Colorado (21-7 overall, 12-5 Pac-12) with 19 points; she hit the game-tying basket with 30 seconds left in regulation, Sherrod left the game briefly in the fourth quarter, but returned. Buffaloes center Quay Miller added 17 points. Stanford held a 53-42 rebounding edge,

The Buffaloes trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter while getting by without their third leading scorer, Frida Formann, who was out of the lineup due to illness.

Stanford missed its first 15 shots and trailed by as many as 14 points early. Brooke Demetre hit a 3-pointer for the Cardinal’s first basket at 12 seconds of the first quarter. Colorado held a 13-5 lead after one period, but the Cardinal outscored CU 20-8 in the third quarter.

The Cardinal close out the regular season Saturday at No. 8 Utah.