Stanford stays the one group to complete their Pac-12 marketing campaign undefeated
With a 63-56 residence win over Washington Saturday afternoon at Maples Pavilion, No. 2 Stanford completed undefeated in Pac-12 regular-season play for the eighth time in program historical past. After the sport, the league’s regular-season champions celebrated their title and Senior Day.
Nonetheless, the street to victory within the Cardinal’s final regular-season recreation didn’t come straightforward because the visiting Huskies led for a lot of the sport. Despite the fact that Washington sits at twelfth within the league standings, below first-year head coach Tina Langley, they gave the highest group within the convention a run for his or her cash.
“If that’s our twelfth greatest group, we’ve acquired a hell of a league,” Cardinal head coach Tara VanDerveer commented. “I wish to give a shout out to Washington, and what an excellent job Tina and her employees are doing. We had our arms full the entire recreation. It’s not a fluke. She’s doing an excellent job, and their group actually battled.”
The competition included 11 lead adjustments. It wasn’t till the final two minutes that Stanford was in a position to draw back, primarily through the efforts of guard Anna Wilson who made some key steals and scored 5 factors within the final 1:03 of the sport.
“We discovered a strategy to win,” VanDerveer stated. “And I believe numerous it needed to do with the protection of Anna Wilson and her steals.”
First-Quarter Again and Forth
The house group acquired out to a fast begin with a 7-2 lead throughout the first three minutes, with sophomore ahead Cameron Brink main the way in which in a 7-0 run that included some tenacious protection, together with a few sturdy blocks by Brink.
Washington responded with a run of their very own punctuated by back-to-back jumpers from sophomore ahead Lauren Schwartz. She helped tie the sport up halfway by the quarter. Her teammate, junior guard Trinity Oliver, drained a jumper to present Washington an 11-9 lead on the 4:11 mark.
Stanford junior guard Hannah Bounce responded for Stanford with a trey, and the Cardinal regained the lead. Nonetheless, that was short-lived as a three-pointer from Washington senior middle Nancy Mulkey gave her group the lead once more. On the first-quarter buzzer, Washington had a 17-16 lead. The Huskies shot 50% (8-16) from the ground in comparison with 33% (7-21) by Stanford.
Second-Quarter Identical
Washington junior middle Darcy Rees acquired issues began within the second quarter with a layup. Her teammate, junior guard T.T. Watkins, made a trey at 7:45 to present her group a five-point lead. Stanford fought again with offensive manufacturing from senior guard Lexie Hull.
Like the primary interval, it was a detailed contest, but Washington led for all of the quarter. In each intervals of the primary half, the Huskies outscored Stanford 17-16.
On the break, Washington led 34-32. Schwartz led all scorers with 12 factors, whereas Brink had 10 factors, 4 rebounds, and 4 blocks for the house group.
Third-Quarter Battle
Lexie Hull got here out of the break on hearth for Stanford with seven factors early within the third interval. Her efforts helped her group take the lead throughout the first minute. Nonetheless, Washington was by no means far behind. When the house group had a three-point lead at 6:50, Oliver responded off a Stanford turnover with a three-pointer to tie the sport up at 41 all with 5:27 to go.
The sport was tied once more about two minutes later, however the Cardinal completed out the interval outscoring the Huskies by one level to move into the final body with a 47-46 lead.
With ten minutes left, Washington was capturing 51% in comparison with Stanford’s 33%, however the Cardinal took a ton extra pictures, 57 to 39 by the Huskies.
One Minute and Anna Wilson Made the Distinction
Upset-minded Washington continued to place Stanford on its heels within the fourth quarter. Schwartz, Watkins, and senior guard Missy Peterson led the cost offensively, giving their group a four-point lead, 53-49 at 6:55. Stanford stayed shut, nevertheless it wasn’t till the final minute or in order that the house group regarded as in the event that they had been going to prevail.
After a layup from junior ahead Haley Van Dyke with three minutes left, Washington went ice chilly and didn’t rating for the remainder of the competition. With stellar play from Wilson and contributions from Ashten Prechtel, Brink, and junior guard Haley Jones, the Cardinal completed the sport on a 10-0 run.
VanDerveer had a vital eye on her group’s efficiency, particularly the offense.
“I believe we are able to study from this recreation. I believe we are able to play quite a bit higher. Our protection generally is a lot higher. Our offense…we are able to execute quite a bit higher. We did care for the basketball. We did get on the o-boards, which was nice. However our discipline aim share was actually abysmal. Our capturing simply wasn’t there…not two, not three, and even on the free-throw line. So hopefully, we are able to shore these issues up.”
Total, Stanford shot 34% (24-70) from the ground in comparison with 46% (24-52) by Washington. From three-point land, the Cardinal shot 21% (5-24).
Brink completed with a double-double of 17 factors and 11 rebounds plus 5 blocks. Hull scored 15 factors and grabbed eight rebounds.
Schwartz led Washington with 16 factors whereas Watkins added 10 factors.
The win gave Stanford 31 straight wins over Pac-12 opponents and 1,500 profession victories for VanDerveer, the winningest coach in girls’s basketball historical past.
Subsequent Up
Each groups flip their consideration to the upcoming Pac-12 Match March 2-6 in Las Vegas.
Washington, seeded at No. 12, performs No. 5 Colorado on Wednesday. With a first-round bye, top-seeded Stanford begins play towards the winner of a first-round recreation between No. 8 Oregon State and No. 9 Arizona State.
