Fran dunks against UCLA. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP)
The No. 1 Stanford women’s basketball team
passed its two toughest tests to date by defeating USC and UCLA to raise its
season record to 7-0.
USC fell 80-60 on Dec. 19. Two days later, on
Dec. 21, No. 10 UCLA went down 61-49. Both games were in Los Angeles.
These margins of victory were the lowest so far
this season, but the opposing teams were tougher defensively.
Both games saw the same starters as all
season with senior guard Kiana Williams, fifth-year guard Anna Wilson, junior
guard Lexie Hull, sophomore guard Haley Jones and sophomore forward Fran
Belibi.
Kiana goes for a layup against USC. (Associated Press)
Kiana,
Lexie, Cameron in double figures
Kiana finished the USC game with 27 points in 39
minutes, making seven of 12 three-point shots. Lexie had 16 points and two of
three three-point shots.
Also in double figures was freshman forward
Cameron Brink with 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting plus both of her free throws.
Haley contributed 11 of the team’s 52
rebounds, which were twice as many as USC’s 26.
All told, the team had 11 three’s. Besides
the seven from Kiana and two from Lexie, Anna and junior guard Lacie Hull had
one each.
After having no one foul out in previous
games, both Cameron and Lacie went out.
Although USC never led, it kept inching to within
single digits until the final few minutes made the outcome clear.
Trailed by Anna, Haley heads upcourt after a rebound against UCLA. (Los Angeles Times)
Rebounds
help Cardinal defeat UCLA
Two days later, the final score was even
closer, 61-49. Rebounds helped the Cardinal with a 51-37 advantage. Haley had
15 of them.
Assists also were a bright spot, 18-12, as were
blocks, 10-3. Fran, Haley and Cameron each had three blocks.
The team had only five three’s: two from Lacie and one each from Anna, Lexie and Kiana.
Fran led the team in scoring with 15 points. The only other players in double figures, Kiana and Cameron, each had 10 points.
Fran
dunks again
As she did against Cal, Fran produced a
highlight play by dunking in the third quarter after picking up a loose ball
that had been deflected by Lexie.
Everyone got a big scare when Kiana went down
with an injury with just over a half-minute left in the game. She had to be
helped off the court.
However, in the post-game press conference,
head coach Tara VanDerveer, who raised her all-time winning record to 1,101
games, said Kiana will be fine. She didn’t elaborate.
The Associated Press reported that the team
has held all seven of its opponents to 40 percent or less field-goal shooting.
Over the Christmas break, the team will return
to Northern California and have a five-day break with no official practice,
Tara said.
The players will travel to Arizona on Dec. 27
for the next two games: Arizona on Jan. 1 and Arizona State on Jan. 3.
In the meantime, happy holidays to all.
