Azzi Goes Home and Stanford Comes Away With Women’s Title

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —  Accepting the award for most valuable player for leading her team to the national championship--Jennifer Azzi.

Who else?

The hometown girl, who left Oak Ridge, Tenn., four years ago only to return to nearby Knoxville to finish her career before thousands of cheering fans, scored 17 points, had five assists and grabbed four rebounds in helping Stanford down Auburn, 88-81.

The 5-foot-9 Azzi received a standing ovation from a record national-championship crowd of 16,595 when she fouled out with with 1:28 remaining.

Shortly thereafter, she was atop the stand at mid-court in Thompson-Boling arena Sunday with the award in her hand and a national championship ring on her finger.

“I can’t describe how I feel inside right now. All I know is that it feels really good,” Azzi said. “Katy (Steding) and I have played four years together, and all in one moment all that hard work has paid off.”

Apparently so. Azzi and fellow seniors Steding and Stacy Parson are credited with leading the transformation of a 5-23 program into a 32-1 national champion.

Auburn (28-7), with three consecutive unsuccessful tries in the title game, kept up with the Cardinal for 20 minutes.

But after coming out of the locker room tied, 41-41, Stanford’s quickness and teamwork took its toll on Auburn’s defensive press.

Center Trisha Stevens put the Cardinal ahead, 48-46, with a four-foot shot from the lane with 17:32 left, and Stanford eventually built a lead that proved insurmountable.

A six-foot hook by the 6-3 Stevens--who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds--put the Cardinal up by six with 14:45 left, and Auburn could get no closer after that.

The Tigers came within seven points after a three-point basket by guard Evelyn Thompson with 1:05 left, but she fouled Stanford guard Sonja Henning, who made both free throws to stop the Tigers’ momentum. “We wanted to attack the middle, and (Henning) and (Azzi) read the defense and attacked,” Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer said. “We haven’t been pressed much all season, but there’s a reason for that--it opens up the opportunity for the three (front-line players), and we look at it as an opportunity for the fast break.”

Auburn Coach Joe Ciampi’s assesment of Stanford: “They have so many weapons and defensively they gave us big problems. We anticipated concentrating on (Trisha) Stevens, Azzi and Steding to start . . . but you never know.”

That left the floor open to Henning, who scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

“My disbelief was with how quick they got the shot off,” Ciampi said. “We felt we could get back and be in position to get back and contest the shot. They were shooting three-point hots (as accurately) as we were layups.”

Stanford shot 42.3% from three-point range, hitting 11 of 26. Azzi was four of eight from the three-point line. Steding, who finished with 18 points and five assists, was six of 15.

The Cardinal broke the Auburn press early and forced the Tigers into playing one-on-one.

Steding and Azzi, with five three-point shots between them in the first seven minutes, sparked the Cardinal to an 11-point lead, and it appeared a blowout was in progress.

But Auburn fought back and took a 28-27 lead with 7:43 left in the first half and widened the margin to 41-32 with 2:05 left.

Stanford scored the next nine points to tie the game, 41-41. And for the next 20 minutes, determination and execution of the Stanford machine proved overwhelming.

“We’re a team in every sense,” Azzi said. “And our success comes from within us.”

Asked if she was saddened by never again wearing a Stanford uniform, Azzi responded: “I feel so good now, at this moment. I’m sad knowing I’ll never wear a Stanford jersey again, but I’m glad it paid off.”

VanDerveer: “When she came out (after her fifth foul) I wasn’t thinking about it. Then it hit me--I won’t see Jennifer and (Parson) play again. So I’m happy, but I’m sad.”

NCAA Women’s Notes

Both tournament and single season attendance records were set at the 1990 Final Four. The paid attendance for both games totaled 39,490, the turnstile count 34,196. Paid attendance for the 1987 Final Four at Austin, Tex., totalled 31,230, and the third all-time high was 18,788 at last year’s tournament at Tacoma, Wash. . . . The all-tournament team for this year’s Final Four included Jennifer Azzi (MVP), Katy Steding of Stanford, Venus Lacy of Louisiana Tech, Chantel Tremitiere of Auburn and Carolyn Jones of Auburn.

Stanford’s Sonja Henning did not make the team, despite an outstanding tournament in which she shot 50% and averaged 12 points and more than seven assists a game. . . . Jones, a 5-6 guard, was high scorer for Auburn with 16 points.

The NCAA women’s basketball rules committee has instituted changes for next season: players fouled while attempting a three-point basket will be given three free throws if the basket is missed; if a goaltending call is made during a free throw, a point will be awarded and the team causing the infraction will be assessed a technical foul; and in jump-ball situations, the ball will be awarded out of bounds at the spot closest to where the situation occurs. The ball had been awarded at the sideline.