Stanford’s Lili Thompson scored on a three-point play with 8.2 seconds left to lift the Cardinal to a 66-65 win over the South Dakota State University women’s basketball team Monday night in the NCAA Tournament. 

South Dakota State, which finished the season 27-7, was led by sophomore guard Macy Miller (Mitchell), who recorded 19 points and 8 rebounds. Sophomore Ellie Thompson (Chaska, Minn.) added 14 points while junior guard Kerri Young (Mitchell) scored 13 points, highlighted by three 3-point field goals. Junior forward Clarissa Ober (Glencoe, Minn.) scored 12 points. 

Stanford, 26-7, got 20 points and 12 rebounds from Erica McCall and 19 points from Thompson. The Cardinal closed the game on a 12-3 run. 

The game opened with both teams trading baskets. The Jackrabbits made their first five shots from the field to build an 11-6 lead when freshman guard Madison Guebert (Apple Valley, Minn.) scored 3:16 into the game. Stanford, which opened the game making its first seven shots, answered with a 9-0 run to take a 15-11 lead with 4:56 left in the first quarter. Both teams then cooled as the Cardinal held an 18-17 lead after the first quarter. 

After Thompson scored 15 seconds into the second quarter, Stanford went on a 7-0 run for a 25-19 lead. The Jacks cut it within three, 30-27, when Ober scored with 2:12 remaining in the first half. The Cardinal scored the quarter’s final three points for a 33-27 halftime lead. 

The Jackrabbits opened the third quarter with a 16-6 run to take a 43-39 lead after Young sank a 3-point field goal with 5:42 to play in the quarter. Ober and Miller each scored four points during the run. After Ober sank a 3-pointer with 2:42 left, Thompson converted an offensive rebound before the buzzer to give the Jacks a 50-46 lead after three quarters. 

Thompson gave the Jackrabbits an eight-point lead, 62-54, with a 3-pointer with 4:43 remaining. However, SDSU would commit four turnovers and make three of six foul shots while Stanford rallied.