Mechelle VoepelESPN.com
The last undefeated team in Division I men’s or women’s basketball fell Friday. The No. 22 Colorado women, who entered the night 13-0, lost to No. 2 Stanford 60-52 in Boulder, Colorado.
The Cardinal, 12-3 overall and 3-0 in the Pac-12, were the first ranked team the Buffaloes played this season. All three of Stanford’s losses came against ranked teams: Texas, South Florida and South Carolina.
The No. 1 Gamecocks lost their only game so far Dec. 30 in overtime at Missouri. Three women’s teams entered the new year unbeaten: Arizona, Colorado and North Carolina. The Tar Heels fell to No. 5 NC State on Jan. 6, and the Wildcats lost to USC on Jan. 9.
“I am not one for moral victories. I am always looking for things that we did well, and there will be a slew of things that we did well,” Colorado coach JR Payne said. “There also will be a lot of things that we need to learn from and grow.”
Last January, Colorado defeated Stanford in Boulder in overtime, one of just two losses for the eventual national champion Cardinal.
Haley Jones, last year’s women’s Final Four most outstanding player, led Stanford on Friday with 11 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Stanford trailed 15-8 after one quarter and 28-24 at halftime. The Cardinal were able to seal the victory, though, by outscoring the Buffs 19-11 in the fourth quarter. And Stanford’s defense held Colorado standout Mya Hollingshed to seven points on 2 of 12 shooting for the game.
“I won’t tell you the game was pretty,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “But it was a gritty, gritty win.”
Colorado, now 13-1 and 2-1, is hoping to make its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013.
