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| Talana had a career day against Cal. (Supriva Limaga/isisphotos.com) |
The Stanford women’s basketball team ended 2023 and
began Pac-12 play on winning notes by defeating Cal 78-51 there on Dec. 29 and
Morgan State 98-38 at home on New Year’s Eve. These two wins, combined with
losses by some higher-ranked teams, advanced Stanford to No. 8 from No. 9 in
the Jan. 1 AP poll.
Starting point guard Talana Lepolo took the
spotlight at the Cal game by scoring a career-high 20 points bolstered by a
career-high six 3-pointers. Playing a team-high 35 minutes, she also had six
assists, which led to at least 12 points for her team.
She was one of three Cardinal players in double
figures. Junior forward Kiki Iriafen had 16 points to go with 10 rebounds for a
double-double. Senior Cameron Brink had an uncharacteristically low 13 points and
seven rebounds because of foul trouble.
She also missed a few minutes in the third quarter
after apparently injuring a thumb and having it taped. She returned to the
floor but was charged with her third foul, sending her to the bench. Shortly
into the fourth quarter, she got her fourth foul and took a seat for the rest
of the game.
By then her abilities weren’t needed because the
team had such a commanding lead, one that had grown larger after each quarter. However,
she got the team’s scoring going by making two consecutive baskets to start the
game. She also had the first of her two blocks in that quarter, and – for good
measure – made the team’s first 3.
Team
has 11 3’s
All told, the team had 11 3’s. Besides Talana’s six
and Cameron’s one, graduate guard Hannah Jump had two, and junior forward
Brooke Demetre and redshirt sophomore guard Jzaniya Harriel had one each.
Brooke’s 3 came as a long-distance shot just as the second-quarter was about to
end.
This game was the 100th between the
cross-bay rivals.
Scouts from Jayne Appel-Marinelli's troop meet with the team after the game. (Stanford Athletics)
l
Part of the reported attendance of 4,197 included
Girl Scouts from Jayne Appel-Marinelli’s, ’10, daughter Shea’s troop. Afterward
they met with the team.
Morgan
State win means happy birthday for Cameron
The 60-point victory over Baltimore’s Morgan State
on Dec. 31 was a fitting way for Cameron to celebrate her birthday. She did so
by leading the team with 18 points and six blocks with no fouls despite having
her right thumb taped after injuring it in the Cal game.
She was one of six Cardinal players in double
figures. Junior guard Elena Bosgana and freshman forward Nunu Agara each had 14
points, followed by Hannah and Jzaniya with 13 each and Kiki with 10.
Jzaniya, who, along with freshman forward Courtney
Ogden, had returned to action in the Cal game after missing the two previous
games, bolstered her point total by hoisting three of the team’s nine 3’s.
Elena accounted for two, while Cameron, Hannah, Nunu and Brooke had one each.
Talana didn’t score, but she did dish out a
team-high eight assists with no turnovers. The team had only four fouls, none
of which sent Morgan State to the free throw line.
Everyone
gets in, contributes
Stanford outscored the visitors in all quarters,
including the first when 10 players were used. By the final buzzer, all 12 had
seen action and contributed in some way. Even in the fourth quarter, when the
starters were on the bench for most of the period, Stanford had 23 points to
Morgan State’s 11. Official attendance was reported as 2,751.
This win marked the 1,198th in head coach
Tara VanDerveer’s coaching career. That means she’s just five wins from topping
the all-time record of 1,202 for men or women held by former Duke coach Mike
Krzyzewski.
Two more Pac-12 opponents will visit Maples with
Washington State scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 5 and Washington for 1 p.m. Jan. 7,
followed by a Behind the Bench. Pac-12 Networks will televise both games.
Winter quarter classes resume Jan. 8.
