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| 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.
