Appel scores 46 in victory

Jayne Appel had a career-high 46 points and 16 rebounds in the third highest-scoring performance in NCAA tournament history, overwhelming Iowa State’s helpless defense and securing second-seeded Stanford’s second straight Final Four appearance with a 74-53 victory Monday night at Berkeley.

Stanford’s physically imposing center also surpassed Candice Wiggins’ single-game scoring record for the Cardinal (33-4), leaving no doubt about Stanford’s 20th straight win and eighth Final Four berth.

“I came into the gym with the mind-set that I wasn’t going to leave without the net,” said Appel, the Pac-10 player of the year who erased her previous career high by 13 points. “We weren’t going to leave here without cutting down those nets. It just wasn’t an option.”

Only Drake’s Lorri Bauman (50 points in 1982) and Texas Tech’s Sheryl Swoopes (47 in 1993) have scored more points in an NCAA tournament game than the 6-foot-4 Appel, who made 19 of her 28 shots before being mobbed by her teammates at the final buzzer.

Amanda Nisleit scored 17 points for the fourth-seeded Cyclones, who couldn’t make enough three-pointers to overcome Appel’s effort. Iowa State (27-9) has made a regional final twice, falling short in 1999 and again this season.

Alison Lacey, who scored 29 points in Iowa State’s win over Michigan State on Saturday semifinals, managed only two points on one-for-10 shooting against Stanford.

No. 3 Louisville 77, No. 1 Maryland 60 -- Angel McCoughtry had 21 points and Louisville claimed its first Final Four berth by upsetting Maryland at Raleigh, N.C.

Deseree Byrd had 17 points and Candyce Bingham had 15 for the Cardinals (33-4). They never trailed and led by double figures for virtually the entire second half in continuing the most successful tournament run in school history.

Marissa Coleman finished with 18 points two nights after scoring a career-high 42 against Vanderbilt, and Marah Strickland scored 15 for the Terrapins (31-5).