A tale of two halves in win

It’s too bad the Stanford women’s basketball team can’t bottle the first half of its 70-57 victory over the visiting Washington State Cougars on Jan. 12.

The Cardinal shot a sizzling 64.7 percent in the first quarter and 58.8 percent in the second to go into the locker room with a 45-17 advantage.

The second half was a different story as the Cougars outscored their hosts 40-25. For the game the Cardinal shot 46.9 percent, while the Cougars shot 33.8 percent. The overall advantage, especially in the first half, was enough to assure the win and celebrate senior guard Brittany McPhee’s 22^nd birthday.

Brittany displays the plaque she received from Tara for her summer with USA Basketball and the U23 National Team.

Brittany honored on her birthday

Britt contributed to the effort by recording 12 points, five assists and three steals. Before the game, head coach Tara VanDerveer gave her a plaque commemorating her summer with USA Basketball and the U23 National Team in Japan.  

Junior forward Alanna Smith was the game’s high-scorer with 20 points plus nine rebounds and two steals.

Freshman guard Kiana Williams kicked in 15 points, including three of the team’s four 3-pointers (sophomore forward Nadia Fingall had the other). 

Britt and Kaylee battle for a rebound.

Kaylee records a double-double 

Senior forward Kaylee Johnson made her mark with a double-double: 10 points and 15 rebounds.

Britt, Alanna, Kiana and Kaylee were the starters along with junior guard Marta Sniezek.

All 12 available players got into the game. Sophomore guards Mikaela Brewer and Anna Wilson, who was in a boot, were both in street clothes.

Rebounds a plus, but turnovers a minus

Stanford recorded a big plus in rebounds, 53-31, but 22 turnovers compared with WSU’s 12 were a big minus.

It was a fast, physical game that saw two Cougars being helped to the locker room. The referees said sophomore guard DiJonai Carrington was responsible for the second one when she collided with the player while going for a rebound under the WSU basket during the fourth quarter. The refs charged her with a technical for an unsportsmanlike foul.

The Cougars were without head coach June Daugherty, who reportedly had undergone a minor medical procedure earlier in the week. Her husband, Mike, the associate head coach, took over the reins.

During halftime, the crowd of 3,696 saluted the dozens of youngsters from swim clubs who had watched the women’s swimming team practice earlier in the day.

Then girls from San Juan Dance took to the floor with their modern dance routines, 

starting with the eight youngest, followed by four preteens and finally eight teenagers.

WSU winless against Stanford

Stanford’s victory upped its all-time record to 63-0 over the Cougars.

WSU’s roster is quite international with seven players from other countries. One of them is Australian Louise Brown, who hails from Alanna’s hometown of Melbourne. They smiled warmly at each other before going for the opening tip, which Alanna won, a fitting opening to the game.

Ros interviews Alanna for the Pac 12 TV networks.

Afterward Alanna was interviewed by Ros Gold-Onwude, ’10, back on her home court as a Pac 12 TV commentator.

Photos by Bob Drebin (isiphoto.com)