High hopes for upcoming season

 

Assistant coach Jeanette Pohlen (in red) with her Stanford coaches, from left: now head coach Kate Paye, retired head coach Tara VanDerveer and retired associate head coach Amy Tucker at Jeanette's induction into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.

Optimism was the prevailing mood as head coach Kate Paye and five players talked about the upcoming Stanford women’s basketball season during a reception Oct. 21 in the Hall of Champions.

“You will love watching our team play,” Kate told several hundred supporters.

Announcer Kevin Danna served as emcee and interviewed three of the 10 returning players and two of the five freshmen.

Junior forwards Courtney Ogden and Mary Ashley Stevenson along with sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye said that during the off-season they worked on conditioning and shooting. Shay added that she focused on defending without fouling. All three had nothing but praise for their freshman teammates.

Freshmen praise returners

The feeling was mutual as freshman forwards Lara Somfai and Nora Ezike said that returning players helped them adjust to college ball.

Lara, the team’s second Australian player, following Alanna Smith, ’19, said she was born in Hungary and speaks Hungarian. However, she moved to Australia with her family when she was 2 years old and learned English in school. She has played for the Australian national team.

Nora also has international experience, having played for Nigeria, where her parents lived before moving to the U.S. During the summer she played for Nigeria at the FIBA U19 World Cup and recorded 25 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals while going eight-for-eight in field goals.

Kevin noted that Shay is interested in broadcasting and is being mentored by Ros Gold-Onwude, ’10. But the ties go back to Shay’s childhood when Ros’ mother and aunt were her babysitters, Shay said.

Taking the microphone, Kate said that “our freshmen have elevated our returners.”

This is Kate’s second season as head coach and Stanford’s second season in the ACC. Playing in the ACC involves cross-country trips.

Last season the team flew in a chartered plane that needed to refuel once going east and twice going west, leading to long hours in the plane. This year the team will fly in a larger plane that won’t need refueling, Kate said.

This year the team also is enjoying its new locker room after two years of construction. Even though it’s underground on the west side of Maples, it has natural light from skylights.

“It’s gorgeous,” Kate said, adding that includes a lounge, nutrition center and film room.

The men’s basketball team and women’s volleyball team also have locker rooms in the addition.

On the injury front, Kate said that senior guard Talana Lepolo is back in action after missing most of last season with an injury.

Sophomore forward Harper Peterson also was out with an injury last year, but she was at the reception minus the boot she had worn.

Karlie celebrating a tournament victory.

Karlie returns

However, Karlie Samuelson, ’17, who’s back with the team as an intern after playing in the WNBA, was walking in a boot. As she returned to her car in the Maples lot, she was using a knee scooter.

In another bit of trivia, her return reunites her with classmate and teammate Erica “Bird” McCall, now an assistant coach. Bird’s position recently was endowed by longtime supporters Celia Oakley and Craig Barratt.

Another assistant coach, Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, recently was inducted into the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. Her photo, along with the other new inductees, is displayed in the Hall of Champions.

Fans will have an early look at the team during an open scrimmage at 10 a.m. Oct. 25 in Maples.

Preliminary action starts with an exhibition game against Cal State LA at 7 p.m. The regular season opener is at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 against UNC Greensboro. Both are home games.

(Photos by Stanford Athletics)

Open practice offers preview of team

 

Sophomore guard Shay Ijiwoye is her usual exuberant self at the practice.

Several hundred fans of Stanford women’s basketball got a sneak peek at the 2025-26 team at an open practice July 24.

“We are having a fantastic summer,” head coach Kate Paye told the crowd. “It’s great to be back.”

She made several pitches for people to renew their season tickets and to bring their friends. In an email the next day she said, “Renewals are doing GREAT. Right where we’ve always been and even above!”

During the session, the players went through various conditioning and shooting drills before a scrimmage that ended the afternoon.

All 15 players were there, but not everyone could participate. Senior guard Talana Lepolo and sophomore forward Harper Peterson were sidelined, as they had been most of last season.

Talana was doing some shooting on her own early in the session before switching to the stationary bike. Harper was still wearing a boot on her left foot. However, Kate said in another email that she expects both to be ready for the start of the new season.

The season’s first home game is scheduled for Nov. 3.

No printed roster was available, but the videoboard flashed photos of each player and her position several times.

It’s too early for any real assessments, but the overall impression is that the team is doing well. Returning players all have improved, and the five freshmen acquitted themselves well.

At the end of the session, each player, starting with the three seniors, introduced herself, her academic year and her hometown.

Senior guard Talana Lepolo signs her autograph for fans.

Afterward, the team adjourned to the north concourse to sign autographs.

The summer quarter continues through Aug. 16. Fall classes start Sept. 22.

The team’s new locker room is expected to be ready by then. For now, the area between the west side of Maples and Campus Drive remains blocked off.

Photos by Stanford Athletics

 

 

 

Optimistic outlook for 2025-26 team

Sarah Boothe, '12 (center, in black in front of Stanford logo), visits the team. (Stanford photo)

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With a stellar recruiting class and a strong contingent of returning players, the Stanford women’s basketball team promises to give fans a lot to cheer for in 2025-26.

“We’re feeling very happy right now,” assistant coach Katy Steding said in a recent phone interview.

Even though it’s a relatively young squad with only three seniors and four juniors, “We’re so optimistic,” Katy said. There’s much to cheer on the roster.

It also appears that for now the 15-member team is at nearly full strength. Senior point guard Talana Lepolo “appears to be in great shape” and has been cleared to play after missing most of last season with an injury.

Sophomore forward Harper Peterson, who also missed last season with an ankle problem, has had surgery that went better than expected. She still recovering, and  her teammates have been supportive, Katy said.

Freshmen are impressive

As for the freshmen, HoopGurlz-rated 4-star forward Nora Ezike from Illinois has been in the Czech Republic playing for Nigeria, which soundly defeated China in the first round of FIBA U19 World Cup competition. The coaches have great hopes for her and all of the freshmen.

Then there’s versatile 4-star wing Carly Amborn from San Anselmo. “You can’t leave her open,” Katy said.

Hailee Swain, a 5-star point guard from Georgia, missed some practices, but now “she’s doing great.”

“Super versatile” is how Katy described 5-star forward Lara Somfai, who’s from Florida.

Alexandra (Alex) Eschmeyer of Colorado, another 5-star forward, is the team’s tallest player at 6’5”. When Katy saw her play during a recruiting trip, she immediately left and called head coach Kate Paye, telling her that Alex needed to come to Stanford. Meanwhile, Alex was worried when she saw Katy leave, fearing that she wasn’t interested

All five freshmen are 3-point shooters and run the floor well. “I’m really impressed with all of them,” Katy said

Internships for some

Several returning players have internships this summer. Among others, senior guard Stavi Papadaki and junior guard Chloe Clardy are in finance. Sophomore Center Kennedy Umeh is helping at a Stanford hospital, and senior guard Lauren Green is learning about shoe design.

All of the players and staff are looking forward to getting into their new, larger locker room, which was under construction last season. It’s hoped it’ll be ready for the new season.

With so much talent available at all positions, the players might have to play tag team. “It’s a really deep, talented squad,” Katy concluded

A look back: Part two of two

 

Happy players and coaches celebrate the Florida State win. (John Lozano/ISI Photos)

After the winter holiday break, the team hit the road for two ACC games. Both resulted in losses: 67-63 at SMU on Jan. 2 and 65-61 in overtime at Clemson on Jan. 5.

Returning home, the team prevailed 89-84 over Florida State on Jan. 9 but lost to North Carolina State 81-67 on Jan. 12.

Spending nearly a week in North Carolina, the team enjoyed its first-ever ACC road win 74-71 over Wake Forest on Jan. 16 followed by a 74-49 loss to Duke on Jan. 19.

The Wake Forest win was highlighted by junior guard Tess Heal’s 24 points, thanks in part to her six 3’s, four of them in the first quarter. Sophomore forward Nunu Agara was right behind her with 23 points.

Cross-bay rival Cal came to Maples on Jan. 23 and left with a 75-72 win.

A week later, still at Maples, Stanford defeated Pittsburgh 58-46 on Jan. 30 and nearly upset the then-No. 15 University of North Carolina 69-67 on Feb. 2.

Although the Pitt game brought the home team’s lowest score so far in the season, it had some bright spots, such as a perfect 15-15 at the free-throw line.

Sophomore guard Chloe Clardy and senior guard Elena Bosgana led the team with 14 points each. Elena’s parents were visiting from Greece and saw her play for the first time in her collegiate career.

Elena also electrified the crowd by scoring a buzzer-beater after a fast break to end the first half, when the score was only 19-14 in Stanford’s favor.

Record falls under .500

Playing on Eastern Time, which is three hours ahead of Pacific Time, the team came away with two losses, dropping its season record to below .500, 11-12.

The team lost 96-47 to Notre Dame on Feb. 6 and 74-65 to Louisiana on Feb. 9.

The loss to Notre Dame set a record for the team, but it wasn’t a record anyone wanted. It was the largest margin of defeat in program history.

The team suffered another loss, too, when leading scorer Nunu fell hard on her backside just five minutes into the game. Aided by trainer Katelin Knox, she walked to the locker room. She returned to the bench later but didn’t play.

She didn’t play in Louisville either, so sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson took her place in the starting lineup. She became one of the four Stanford players in double figures with 15 points. She was just behind Chloe, who had 16.

The penultimate home stand resulted in two wins: 79-58 over Syracuse on Feb. 13 and 80-75 over Boston College on Feb 16, raising the season record to 13-12.

Redshirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel was in uniform for the Syracuse game after missing several, but she didn’t play. Nunu was out again. Freshman guard Harper Peterson was out, too.

Elena led the team with 18 points plus 11 rebounds and both of the team’s two blocks.

Senior forward Brooke Demetre and Chloe both had 14 points. Chloe also had a team-high 14 assists. Thus Brooke broke out of a scoring slump, making three 3’s in a row during the first quarter.

Freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye had what should have been a game highlight with a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter, but the refs ruled it was too late.

Nunu didn’t start against Boston College, but she came in to applause about midway through the first quarter. However, she played less than a total of seven minutes and added two rebounds and an assist. Jzaniya also saw limited action.

Fans learn about Lifetime Cardinal

After the game, an information session about Lifetime Cardinal filled Kissick Auditorium.

Lifetime Cardinal will provide financial support to Stanford student athletes. It responds to the changing collegiate landscape that allows players to be paid for NIL, name, image and likeness.

Fans can make a tax-deductible donation and direct it to a specific team, such as women’s basketball. Go to www.lifetimecardinal.com.

The season’s final road trip ended with a thrilling overtime win, 75-74 at Virginia Tech on Feb. 20.

According to Stanford Athletics, freshmen and sophomores scored 65 of the team’s 75 points. Sophomore forward Courtney Clardy had 15. Despite four fouls, Shay had a career-high 10 points, including the two free throws that iced the win in OT.

Still recovering, Nunu didn’t make the trip.

The outcome was different when the team visited the University of Virginia – an 89-69 loss on Feb. 23.

Courtney led the team with a career-high 17 points as well as eight rebounds.

Shay and Elena celebrate the win over Georgia Tech. (Nhat V.. Meyer (Bay Area News Group)

Season ends with two home wins, Senior Day

Two home wins highlighted the end of the regular season: 86-69 over Miami on Feb. 27 an 87-82 over Georgia Tech on March 2.

Stanford’s score against Miami was boosted by 14 3’s, courtesy of Chloe, Brooke, Courtney, Elena, Shay and Tess.

It was Senior Day for the Georgia Tech game. Kate gave flowers to the visiting seniors before the game.

And in honor of Elena, who hails from Greece, the Greek national anthem preceded “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

She started the game and led the team with 19 points.

The Senior Day ceremony after the game started by honoring the team managers and male practice players.

Then there were tributes to Elena, Brooke and Jzaniya.

Early exits from ACC, WBIT tournaments

It was on to Greensboro, N.C., and the team’s first ACC tournament. It ended with a 63-46 loss to Clemson on March 5.

One consolation was Nunu’s return. She didn’t get into the game until late in the first half and went on to play just 17 minutes. She contributed eight points, three rebounds and two steals.

Failing to make the NCAA tournament for the first time in 37 years, the team had to settle for the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. It ended with a heartbreaking 69-68 overtime loss to Portland in the first round at Maples on March 20.

It was a back-and-forth game played in front of a sparse crowd of 1,106. The upper areas were roped off. One reason for the low attendance was that it was the end of finals week, so some students might have left for spring break.

Thus the season ended with a 16-15 record.

Fans say farewell at banquet

Several hundred fans gathered for one last farewell to the team at the annual banquet April 8 at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.

Early in the program head coach Kate Paye announced that Katelin is leaving Stanford to become head trainer for the Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA’s newest team.

Kate opened the program by saying that 2024-25 “was a season of change and challenge,” but the theme of sisterhood prevailed.

She thanked everyone behind the team and introduced by players by class, starting with the freshmen and ending with the seniors.

After a video of season highlights, she looked ahead, noting that the five outstanding recruits will be mentored by the returning players.

“We are hungry to get back to our championship ways…The best is yet to come,” she concluded.

 

A look back: Part one of two

 

The 2024-25 team. (Stanford Athletics)

Fans of Stanford women’s basketball are a spoiled lot.

Just four years ago the team won a national championship. This season, though, was an entirely different story.

A series of changes led to just a 16-15 record, no NCAA tournament for the first time since 1967 and a heart-wrenching loss in the first round of the WBIT tournament.

As for the changes – First, legendary head coach Tara VanDerveer retired, handing the reins over to her longtime assistant, Kate Paye.

Next, the Pac-12 Conference imploded, so Stanford moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference, necessitating tens of thousands of miles in travel and frequent three-hour time differences.

Then there was the loss of last year’s most prolific scorers. Hannah Jump and Cameron Brink graduated, and Kiki Iriafen transferred to USC. On top of that, junior point guard Talana Lepolo missed almost all of the season because of injury.

On the other hand, three promising freshmen arrived along with two transfers.

The team also had two new staff members: Victoria Saucedo, sports performance coach; and Heather Oesterle, assistant coach.

Players faced their first competition by playing against and defeating three Italian teams during a 10-day trip to Italy starting Aug. 18.

Fans got their first look at the team during the annual Cardinal-White scrimmage Oct. 26, Stanford’s homecoming.

They got an even better look when the team played its first five games at home.

Home wins kick off competition

First, there was the 91-70 exhibition win over Cal State LA on Oct. 30.

Starters were senior guard Elena Bosgana, senior forward Brooke Demetre, red shirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel, junior guard Tess Heal (one of the transfers) and sophomore forward Nunu Agara.

Some of the first players off the bench were sophomores: forwards Courtney Ogden and Mary Ashley Stevenson (the other transfer), and guard Chloe Clardy.

Nunu led the team with 25 points and 13 rebounds.

The night before the exhibition, Buck Cardinal Club members gathered at the Hall of Champions for a chance to meet the team and hear from Kate.

Kate recorded her first regular season win as head coach when the team defeated LeMoyne College 107-43 on Nov. 4.

In another first, the team set a program record of 18 3’s, led by Jzaniya with six. She also led the team with 24 points.

The starters were Elena, Brooke, Jzaniya, Nunu and Talana.

Washington State was the next to fall, 94-65 on Nov. 7, followed by Gonzaga, 89-58 on Nov. 10. That win vaulted previously unranked Stanford to No. 24 in AP’s Nov. 11 weekly poll.

Tata with alums and coaches at the unveiling of Tara VanDerveer Court. (SF Chronicle)

The crowd of 3,865 at the Gonzaga game saw not only a victory but also the unveiling of Tara VanDerveer Court in honor of the then-winningest basketball coach of all.

A reception in the Hall of Champions followed the game. During her remarks, Tara praised Kate. She also noted that she’s working part-time in the office of athletic director Bernard Muir.

This initial home stand ended with another win: 69-56 over UC Davis on Nov. 13.

First road trip results in first loss

The first road trip brought the season’s first loss: 79-66 against Indiana on Nov. 17

Back at home, though, the team logged three more wins: 91-49 over Morgan State on Nov. 22, 81-45 over Cal Poly on Nov. 25 and 84-54 over UC San Diego on Nov. 29. Talana missed the Cal Poly game and all the rest to come.

UC San Diego is coached by Tara’s younger sister, Heidi. Since the game came the day after Thanksgiving, the two teams celebrated Thanksgiving with dinner together in the Hall of Champions.

Traveling to Louisiana State on Dec. 5 and playing in front of more than 10,000 people, the team went toe-to-toe against the then-undefeated and ranked No. 5 hosts. It held a lead until the fourth quarter’s final second when LSU scored two points to tie at 80-80.

Going into overtime, Stanford lost 94-88. Nunu led the charge with 29 points and 13 rebounds. According to Sports Reference, she was the first D1 player with these stats in a true road game against a top 5 AP opponent since Nov. 21, 2021.

Back in the Bay Area, the Cardinal went to Cal and lost 83-63 on Dec. 13, just after the end of finals. Brooke led the team with 18 points.

On Dec. 16, though, the team returned to Maples and beat UT San Antonio 62-57.

Stanford was clinging to a 60-57 lead with only a few seconds left. UTSA inbounded the ball, but Jzaniya stole the ball, ran down the court and scored the game-clinching buzzer-beater. She finished with 12 points, behind Elena’s 13.

Undefeated and then-No. 11 Ohio State was too hot to handle, handing Stanford a 84-59 loss on Dec.  20 during the Invisilign Bay Area Women’s Classic at Chase Center in San Francisco.

Next: 2025

 

One final salute to team at banqet

Several hundred Stanford women’s basketball fans said their final farewell to the 2024-25 team at the annual banquet April 8 at the Arrillaga Alumni Center.

First-year head coach Kate Paye presided over the evening’s program, which included thanks to the many people behind the team. It also included introduction of the players.

The biggest news from the gathering is that longtime trainer Katelin Knox is leaving Stanford to become head athletic trainer for the WNBA’s newest team, the Golden State Valkyries.

Kate opened the program by saying “it was a season of change and challenge,” but the theme of sisterhood prevailed.

She mentioned some season highlights such as the trip to Italy during the summer and the record 18 3’s against LeMoyne in the first regular season game – a home game that Stanford won 107-43.

On the other hand, moving from the now-defunct Pac-12 Conference to the ACC meant that “the travel was not easy.” She also noted that the relatively young team’s inexperience showed at times. Still, the team stuck together.

She then asked the three freshmen to come to the podium. She said they made the transition into college-level ball and “will be big pieces to our future.”

She said guard Shay Ijiwoye “is a high-energy player” with good defense and speed as well as a 4.0+ GPA.

Forward Harper Peterson, one foot still in a boot, was limited by injury, but she’s a skilled stretch 4. “We need what you do,” Kate said.

Center Kennedy Umeh, aka Special K, is the only true center whose confidence grew through the season. She wants to become a doctor and will be “a big key to our team’s future success,” Kate said.

The four sophomores showed great improvement. For example, forward Nunu Agara led the team in several areas, and “she’s just scratching the surface,” the coach said.

Guard Chloe Clardy, who often played point guard, “never backed down from a challenge,” Kate said.

Forward Courtney Ogden can play the 1-4 spots and, like her classmates, improved through the season.

Forward Mary Ashley Stevenson, who transferred from Purdue, was an “instant contributor” who shot 49% for the season and has a 4.0+ GPA.

Guard Tess Heal wasn’t there with the other juniors, apparently because she has entered the transfer portal.

As for her classmates, guard Lauren Green ran the scout team as a point guard and never missed a practice.

Guard Stavi Papadaki was a beloved and respected scout team member and, like Lauren, never missed a practice. She’s going for both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and is on the Greek national team in her home country.

Guard Talana Lepolo, who was sidelined by an injury after five games, helped to guide the younger guards.

Before introducing the seniors, Kate brought her fellow coaches to the front and called them the best in the country.

Assistant coach Jeanette Pohlen, ’11, was an All-American who works with the guards. Assistant coach Erica “Bird” McCall, ’17, is a “post-whisperer.”

Assistant coach Heather Oesterle was a Stanford coaching intern in 2002 and has returned as offensive coordinator. Assistant coach Katy Steding, ’90, is “a legend as a coach and player” and has many responsibilities.

Associate head coach Tempie Brown, back for her second coaching stint on the Farm, oversees recruiting and admissions and serves as defensive coordinator.

The coaches stayed upfront as the seniors joined them.

Guard Jzaniya Harriel is a strong two-way player, but health problems limited her playing time, Kate said. As a red shirt with another year of eligibility, the political science major plans to be a graduate senior transfer. “Choosing Stanford was a dream come true,” she said.

Guard Elena Bosgana, the team’s first European player, had “some spectacular performances her senior season,” Kate said. She, too, will play for the Greek national team.

“I love my teammates,” said Elena, who’s graduating with a degree in science, technology and society.

Forward Brooke Demetre, who had celebrated her birthday two days earlier, was serenaded with “Happy Birthday” before Kate called her “big shot Brooke.”

The product design major will probably play oversees. The senior captain said, “I have loved playing for Stanford.”

Following a video with season highlights, Kate looked ahead, noting that the five outstanding recruits will be mentored by the returning players.

“We are hungry to get back to our championship ways,” Kate said. “The best is yet to come.”

 

 

 

 

Portland ends Stanford's season in OT

 

Head coach Kate Paye in a huddle with the team. (Brandon Vallance/ISI Photos)

The Stanford women’s basketball team saw its season come to a heartbreaking end with a 69-68 overtime loss to Portland in the first round of the WBIT tournament in Maples on March 20.

In the wake of that loss, some fans might be pondering what if….

One: What if Nunu Agara hadn’t fouled out in the final minute of overtime, when the score was 68-66 in Stanford’s favor?

After suffering an injury, the sophomore forward had returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Feb. 6. She led the team with 21 points and 12 rebounds in just over 35 minutes and made several clutch shots.

Two: What if the team had made just two more free throws instead of 13 of 18?

Three: What if the team had made just one more 3-pointer instead of five of 10 while the Pilots made seven of 19?

Four: What if the team hadn’t had 20 turnovers resulting in 12 points for Portland? For its part, Portland had 12 turnovers leading to 10 Stanford points.

Five: What if some of the officials’ calls, which were roundly booed, had instead been in Stanford’s favor?

Six: What if Portland hadn’t applied full-court pressure almost the entire game?

Missing the Big Dance

This was the first time in 37 years that Stanford hadn’t made it to the NCAA tournament.

With a record of 16-15, it had to settle for the relatively new Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament and the chance to host Portland.

The starting lineup featured Nunu along with senior forward Brooke Demetre, sophomore guard Chloe Clardy, sophomore forward Courtney Ogden and senior guard Elena Bosgana.

Elena was the team’s second-highest scorer with 19 points and eight rebounds. She was the first Cardinal to score in the first quarter and helped to get the second quarter off to a good start with two 3’s (of her three total) in a row plus a 2.

Chloe was the other Cardinal in double figures with 11 points, including the other two of the team’s five 3’s.

It was a back-and-forth game with nine lead changes and seven ties. One of those ties came at the end of the fourth quarter, 60-60. Hence the OT.

Stanford was ahead for about 31 minutes during the game. Its biggest lead was 13 points in the third quarter. Portland was ahead by just four points in the second.

The Maples crowd was sparse – only 1,106. The upper area was roped off on all four sides.

The Band and Tree were there, but no cheerleaders or Dollies.

The student section was sparse, probably because it was finals week. The last finals were slated for March 21, so it’s likely that some students might have left for spring break, which ends with the start of spring quarter on March 31.

Now the team and fans are left to wonder what if and to look forward to next season.

 

 

 

Early exit from first ACC tournament

 

Shay Ijiwoye (center,) Jzaniya Harriel (left) and Kennedy Umeh warm up. (Stanford Athletics)

Playing in the first round of its first-ever ACC tournament, the Stanford women’s basketball team lost to Clemson 63-46 on March 5 in Greensboro, N.C. Thus the team finished with a 16-14 record overall.

At first the game looked promising as the Cardinal got off to an 8-4 start early in the first quarter, but the Tigers rallied and had an 11-10 lead when the buzzer sounded.

In this game attended by more than 6,900, Clemson’s lead expanded from then on, leading to the 17-point Stanford loss.

Clemson surpassed Stanford in nearly every category. Perhaps the worst discrepancy was in 3-point shooting.

Clemson connected on eight of its long-range shots. Stanford saw only three go through the net, accounting for a 15-point difference.

Sophomore guard Chloe Clardy, sophomore forward Courtney Ogden and junior guard Tess Heal each had one trey.

Perhaps the best news that day was that sophomore forward Nunu Agara, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, was finally able to play after missing several games with an injury.

She wasn’t in her usual starting slot, but she entered the game late in the first half and went on to play just over 17 minutes. During that time, she had eight points, second-highest on the team, to go with three rebounds and two steals.

Courtney led the team with 13 points, the only Cardinal in double figures. Clemson had three players in double figures.

Although NCAA tournament teams won’t be announced until 5 p.m. PT March 16 on ESPN, Stanford’s chances look dim.

If it doesn’t make the cut, it will be the first time since 1987 that it was left out.  “That 37-season streak was the second-longest in women’s college basketball,” after Tennessee with 42. Yahoo Sports reported.

Instead, the team might make it to the WNIT or WBIT. The 48 WNIT teams will be announced right after the NCAA tournament announcement.

The WBIT will have a 32-team bracket that also will be announced March 16. It's the second year of the event, according to NCAA.com.

In the post-game press conference, head coach Kate Paye said the team is open to playing in another tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team completes regular season with two home wins

 

Shay and Elena celebrate the win over Georgia Tech. (Nhat V.. Meyer (Bay Area News Group)

The Stanford women’s basketball team completed its regular season with two home victories: 86-69 over Miami on Feb. 27 and 87-82 over Georgia Tech on March 2.

14 3’s help in victory over Miami

After the lead seesawed during the first half, the team tightened its defense and sharpened its offense to emerge with its 86-69 win over the Miami Hurricanes.

Stanford got off to a hot start with an 8-0 lead about two minutes into the first quarter before Miami got into the scoring column.

After that, the team eked out a one-point edge at the half and then outscored Miami by a total of 16 in the second half.

Scoring was boosted by 14 3’s. They came courtesy of sophomore guard Chloe Clardy with four, senior forward Brooke Demetre and sophomore forward Courtney Ogden with three each, senior guard Elena Bosgana with two, and freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye and junior guard Tess Heal with one each.

Brooke led four players in double figures with 19 points, followed by Courtney with 18, Chloe with 16 and Elena with 15. Tess wasn’t far behind with nine points.

One indication of the solid offense was the assist total of 23, compared with 13 by Miami. Stanford also had more rebounds and fewer turnovers, 11-15.

Stanford’s tight second-half defense led to three shot-clock violations by the visitors.

As was true in the following game, the Cardinal still were without the services of high-scoring sophomore forward Nunu Agara as well as freshman forward Harper Peterson and junior guard Talana Lepolo. Talana has missed much of this season and is expected to redshirt, giving her an extra season of eligibility after her senior year.

Because the game was sponsored by Stanford Health and Wellness as part of American Heart Month, two physicians from that department took the court.

Dr. Tamara Dunn, clinical associate professor in the Division of Hematology, sang the national anthem. Vascular surgeon Lizzie George, a Stanford grad who was on the women’s soccer team, accepted the honorary game ball.

Alums Lacie Hull (left) and Fran Belibi enjoy the Miami game. (Stanford Athletics)

The more than 3,300 people at the game included SWBB alums Fran Belibi,’23, and Lacie Hull, ’22. Fans may remember Fran for her dunking ability and Lacie as the twin sister of Lexie, who plays for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.

Team withstands Georgia Tech’s onslaught

All looked rosy with a 13-point lead after the first quarter of the Georgia Tech game on March 2, but the Yellow Jackets kept rallying, but not enough to avoid an 87-82 loss to Stanford.

The loud crowd of 4,400 helped to cheer the victory. Many were wearing the T-shirts given out that day.

Elena and Brooke show off the T-shirts for the Georgia Tech game. (Stanford Athletics)

Because it was Senior Day, head coach Kate Paye presented flowers to GT’s two seniors before the game.

And in honor of Elena, who hails from Greece, the Greek national anthem preceded “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Elena started the game and made Stanford’s second basket, a 3-pointer, one of the two she made in leading the team’s scoring with 19 points.

Four other Cardinal players were in double figures: sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson, 17; Courtney, 16; Chloe, 12; and Brooke, 10.

GT kept the score close as the game continued, thanks in part to its nine 3’s and rebounding advantage, 32-27.

Stanford had five 3’s. Besides Elena’s two, Brooke had two and Tess had one.

GT clogged the 3-point line, but Stanford compensated with mid-range shots and nifty backdoor cuts. Thus Stanford had 52 points in the paint, aided in large part by 18 assists.

The Senior Day ceremony after the game started by honoring the team managers and male practice players.

Elena (left), Jzaniya and Brooke with their Senior Day flowers . (Stanford Athletics)

Following a video featuring outstanding plays by the three seniors, they were introduced one by one alphabetically, starting with Elena. She was saluted by her Greek teammate, junior guard Stavi Papadaki.

Kate called Elena courageous for coming to Stanford without ever having been to the United States, let alone Stanford, because of strict COVID restrictions. She is on Greece’s senior national team and will play with it this summer.

Like her classmates, Elena thanked the fans, staff and teammates for their support.

Tara VanDerveer, who recruited the seniors and coached them for three years until retiring as head coach last season, joined Kate in honoring them.

Talana did the honors in saluting Brooke, whom Kate called mature and unselfish. Brooke’s parents also spoke.

Chloe credited guard Jzaniya Harriel, who redshirted her junior year, with joy and positivity. Jzaniya’s sister said she might go to law school.

On to the ACC tournament

With these two home victories, the team finished with a 16-13 record overall and 8-10 in the ACC. Ranked #11 in the conference, the team will face #14 Clemson at 3:30 p.m. March 5 at the ACC tournament in Greensboro, N.C. The game will be shown on the ACC Network.

Clemson hosted and won the teams’ previous meeting 65-61 in overtime Jan. 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last regular road games yield split results

 The Stanford women’s basketball team completed its final road trip of the regular season by pulling out an overtime thriller 75-74 at Virginia Tech and then enduring an 89-69 loss at Virginia three days later.

Underclassmen lead the way to OT win

Bolstered by a career-high 30 points by sophomore guard Chloe Clardy and solid performances from some other underclassmen, the team eked out its 75-74 overtime win at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg on Feb. 20.

The Hokies led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter and outscored or tied the Cardinal in the first three quarters.

However, Stanford surged ahead in the fourth quarter with a 23-16 effort and tight defense, thus tying the game at 63-63 and forcing overtime in front of nearly 4,950 people.

According to Stanford Athletics, freshmen and sophomores together scored 65 of the team’s 75 points.

Sophomore forward Courtney Ogden had 15 points. Despite four fouls, freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye had a career-high 10 points, including the two free throws that iced the win in OT.

Sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson recorded six points and seven rebounds in 43 minutes. Freshman center Kennedy Umeh had four points and two of the team’s nine steals.

Sophomore forward Nunu Agara, who has been the team’s leading scorer and rebounder, is still recovering from a fall at Notre Dame on Feb. 6 and didn’t make the trip.

The two seniors, forward Brooke Demetre and guard Elena Bosgana, got into foul trouble, so they had only eight points between them. Brooke fouled out about four minutes into the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech dominated the boards, snaring 42 rebounds to Stanford’s 32. The hosts also made more free throws, 20, while Stanford had 14.

Stanford had one more trey with five, courtesy of Chloe with three and Brooke and Courtney with one each.

Also on the plus side, Stanford had 14 turnovers while VT had 22.

Virginia’s treys help to sink Stanford

Visiting the University of Virginia in Charlottesville on Feb. 23, the team suffered an 89-69 loss in front of nearly 4,800 people.

Much of UVA’s success came from beyond the 3-point line as the Cavaliers sank 14 treys for 42 points, almost half of its total.

For its part, Stanford had eight 3’s, thanks to Elena and Brooke with three each, and Shay and Chloe with one each.

Courtney led the team with a career-high 17 points as well as eight rebounds.

Brooke with 15 points and Elena with 11 also were in double figures.

Stanford actually had more rebounds, 41-37, and assists, 22-19. However, it committed 15 turnovers while UVA had nine.

UVA came out of the gate fast, besting Stanford 25-9 in the first quarter. The visitors outscored the hosts in the second and fourth quarter, but not enough to stave off the loss.

The team returns home to host Miami at 7 p.m. PT Feb. 27 and Georgia Tech at 2 p.m. March 2 for Senior Day. ACCNX will stream both games.

The ACC tournament starts March 5 in Greensboro, NC.

 

 

Home stand yields two wins

 

Chloe had 14 points and a team-high 12 assists against Syracuse. (Supriya Limage/ISI Photos)

The Stanford women’s basketball team completed its penultimate home stand by notching two wins: 79-58 over Syracuse on Feb. 13 and 80-75 over Boston College on Feb. 16, thus raising its season record to 13-12.

No Nunu? No problem

Just over 2,900 people braved the Bay Area’s latest atmospheric river by going to Maples on Feb. 13.

They were rewarded by seeing the team defeat the visiting Syracuse Orange.

Redshirt junior guard Jzaniya Harriel was in uniform after missing several games, but she didn’t play.

Sophomore forward Nunu Agara was still out after falling hard early in the Notre Dame game and missing the Louisville game the previous weekend. Freshman forward Harper Peterson and sophomore guard Talana Lepolo were out, too.

Nunu had been the team’s leading scorer, but there was plenty of scoring in this game as five players were in double figures.

Senior guard Elena Bosgana led the way with 18 points plus 11 rebounds and both of the team’s two blocks.

Junior guard Tess Heal was right behind her with 17 points.

Senior forward Brooke Demetre and sophomore guard Chloe Clardy both had 14 points. Chloe also had a team-high 12 assists. Two of her points came from free throws during the fourth quarter after Syracuse head coach Felisha Legette-Jack was assessed a technical foul.

Sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson completed the quintet of double-figure players with 12 points.

Another reason to cheer this victory is that Brooke broke out of a recent shooting slump by making three 3’s in a row during the first quarter.

Tess also had three 3’s. Chloe and Elena each had two of the team’s 10 3’s.

The Cardinal led the entire way, ending each quarter with a double-digit lead.

Freshman guard Shay Ijiwoye had, from my perspective, what should have been a game highlight when she made a buzzer-beater to end the first quarter, but the referees ruled it was too late.

Stanford dominated in most statistics except turnovers, committing 12 to Syracuse’s 11. Notably, Stanford had a 21-8 advantage in assists.

In honor of Black History Month, the Stanford Federal Credit Union handed out commemorative T-shirts.

Preceding the usual national anthem, which was sung by a trio of Black students, a Black woman student sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” considered the Black national anthem.

Tess led the scoring against Boston with 23 points. (Al Chang/ISI Photos)

Boston College keeps things close

Things weren’t quite as easy Feb. 16 when Boston College came to visit. Stanford eked out an 80-75 win.

It looked easy about halfway through the first quarter when the home team had a 10-point edge, but Boston rallied to take a 21-20 lead when the buzzer sounded.

The lead bounced around after that, leaving no one a chance to sit back and relax – much less the players.

For example, each team had 11 3’s. Tess had five for Stanford, followed by Brooke with three. Chloe, Elena and sophomore forward Courtney Ogden each had one.

Tess led the team overall scoring with 23 points. Also in double digits were Brooke with 21 and Elena with 15.

Nunu didn’t start, but she came in to applause about midway through the first quarter. However, she played less than a total of seven minutes for the game and added two rebounds and an assist.

Jzaniya also saw limited action, just over three minutes, and had two assists. Talana and Harper were still out, but Harper wasn’t wearing a boot.

Assists were an area where Stanford dominated, 20-9. On the other hand, it had 18 turnovers to BC’s 15. BC’s 11 steals contributed to Stanford’s turnovers.

The game ended on an almost comical note because of clock issues. The clock initially showed 3.2 seconds left with Stanford in possession.

However, it didn’t start right away, so the referees did a review to see how much time actually was left. They said 2.5 seconds, but the clock managers varied it from too little to too much time until finally hitting upon right setting.

At that point, Tess made two free throws to ice the win.

Because it was National Girls and Women in Sports Day, women from other Stanford sports oversaw activities for youngsters in the concourses before the game.

Betty Ann Hagenau, the usual announcer, wasn’t there. Andrew Scott Knox, who usually leads activities during breaks, filled in for her.

Among the more than 3,500 people at the game was Karlie Samuelson, ’17, sitting with retired head coach Tara VanDerveer and retired associate head coach Amy Tucker.

The team hits the road again with games at Virginia Tech at 5 p.m. PT Feb. 20 and Virginia at 3 p.m. PT on Feb. 23. ACCN will show both games.

Fans learn about Lifetime Cardinal

After the game, an information session about Lifetime Cardinal filled Kissick Auditorium.

Lifetime Cardinal was formed to provide financial support to Stanford student athletes. It responds to the changing collegiate athletic atmosphere that allows players to be paid for NIL, or name, image, likeness.

It has led to players being lured from one school to another with financial rewards.

“We want to have great players” and keep them, head coach Kate Paye said. “We have to be competitive.”

That’s where Lifetime Cardinal comes in. Fans can make tax-deductible donations and direct them to a specific team, such as women’s basketball.

For specific details and directions on donating, go to www.lifetimecardinal.com.