NEW ORLEANS (AP) – LSU coach Van Chancellor can thank Sylvia Fowles for his first trip to a Final Four.

Fowles had 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots, lifting LSU to a 56-50 victory over top-seeded North Carolina on Monday night. The victory sent the second-seeded Lady Tigers (31-5) to their fifth Final Four in as many seasons.

“We knew it was our last year and we wanted to go all out,” said Fowles, named the most outstanding player of the New Orleans regional.

For North Carolina (33-3), forced to play before a hostile crowd wearing purple and gold, the loss snapped a 16-game winning streak and left the Tar Heels one victory short of a third straight Final Four appearance.

LaToya Pringle led the Tar Heels with 21 points, all but two coming in the second half, but it was not enough as the rest of her team combined for 10 points after the break.

North Carolina came in with five players averaging double figures in scoring, but Pringle was the only one to eclipse 10. Rashanda McCants scored nine and Jessica Breland eight.

“Defense has been our bread and butter all year,” Fowles said. “We knew if we came out here and played defense our offense would pick up. We’ve played great defense the last few years.”

Quianna Chaney scored 13 points for LSU.

Stanford 98, Maryland 87

SPOKANE, Wash. – Candice Wiggins scored 41 points, and got some help from unlikely sources as the second-seeded Cardinal pulled away from No. 1-seed Maryland 98-87 on Monday night in the Spokane Regional final.

Playing with a swagger and confidence bred from Stanford being denied a No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Cardinal are back in the Final Four for the first time in 11 years. They will face either Connecticut or Rutgers in the national semifinals in Tampa.

Fowles scored twice inside early in the second half as LSU took its largest lead of the game at 30-23.

North Carolina could not get points from anyone but Pringle through the first 11 minutes of the second half, but that was enough to keep them in the game. Pringle scored 11 points during that span, all inside, and one on a putback as she was fouled for a 3-point play.

Her fifth basket of the half over Ashley Thomas cut LSU’s lead to 34-32. Several minutes later, she hit a turnaround jumper on the baseline to cut LSU’s lead to 36-35.

Chaney responded with a 3-pointer, and after Pringle made a pair of free throws, Fowles scored inside as she was fouled. But Fowles missed the free throw, leaving her 0-for-5 from the foul line to that point, then committed her fourth foul with 5:32 left.

Thomas had committed her fourth foul a few minutes earlier, leaving two starters in foul trouble for the final five minutes.

But RaShonta LeBlanc’s clutch 3-pointer and pair of free throws helped LSU pulled away, and when Fowles finally fouled out with 16 seconds to go, it only meant that she could make a grand exit to a raucous ovation.

Tough defense defined much of the game, as both teams shot below 40 percent and combined for 30 turnovers.

North Carolina had trouble containing Fowles, however, and ended up fouling her hard in an effort to keep her from receiving passes inside. Fowles still had 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the first half, and Chaney hit a pair of 3s to help LSU hold a slim lead through most of the first 20 minutes.

Erlana Larkins scored a pair of tough baskets going one-on-one with Fowles inside, converting one into a three-point play.

Breland also scored over Fowles once and had the final basket of the half on a backdoor cut, cutting LSU’s lead to 24-21 at halftime.