Thanks for the memories, Part 3 of 3

After completing the inaugural Pac-12 season with an 18-0 record and a 28-1 record overall, the Stanford women’s basketball team geared up for tournament time, a.k.a. March Madness.

Pac-12 teams compete in LA

It started with the Pac-12 tournament in Los Angeles. Because of its perfect conference record, Stanford was the No. 1 seed and earned a first-round bye before facing Washington on March 8 at Galen Center. A handful of fans and family members, along with the band, cheerleaders, Dollies and Tree, gave the team a sendoff from the Downtown Marriott Hotel.

The game itself drew a sparse crowd, maybe 300 or 400, with most of them in red. Stanford kept them happy with a 76-57 victory. Senior forward Nneka Ogwumike led the team with 18 points, while her sister, sophomore forward Chiney, contributed 16. All 12 available players saw action, including freshman forward Taylor Greenfield and senior forward Sarah Boothe, who both had missed some previous games with injuries.

Arizona State, which had defeated Arizona after Stanford’s game, was the Cardinal’s opponent the next day, March 9, at Staples Center. Once again, there was a sendoff from the team hotel before the game, which ended in a Stanford win, 52-43.

It was hardly a stellar game. Stanford shot 29.4 percent and ASU shot 29.8 percent. Arizona pulled to within 6 points with a minute left, but Nneka made six of six free throws and junior forward Joslyn Tinkle added two more FTs and snared the final rebound to assure the victory. As the team left the floor, Joslyn turned to the Stanford fans, wiped her brow and mouthed, “Whew.”

Nneka had 24 points, including 10 for 10 from the FT line, plus 12 rebounds. Chiney pitched in with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Because the game was so close, only eight players got onto the floor.

Later in the afternoon, about 20 fans and some family members gathered at Big Wang’s sports bar for a post-game social.

The sendoff before the championship game against Cal at Staples Center on March 10 attracted a larger crowd. While the team usually gets into the spirit of the sendoff, the players were more animated than usual.

During one song, Nneka danced, Chiney played the bass drum and Joslyn led the band. Sophomore guard Toni Kokenis, who had joined the band for home football games, was in the back row playing the mellophone while sophomore guard Sara James pretended to play a trumpet.

Stanford emerged from the game with a 77-62 victory, but it was a physical contest that resulted in 16 fouls for Cal and 19 for Stanford. Stanford was better able to cash in on the fouls, making 14 of 16 free throws, or 87.5 percent, while Cal made 15 of 25, or 60 percent.

As she had done in the two previous games, Nneka led her team with 29 points. What makes that total especially memorable is that she made her first 3-pointers of the season. In fact, she made three of four, setting the crowd aroar. She also had 12 rebounds.

Chiney had 17 points and 13 rebounds for her third double-double of the tournament. Freshman point guard Amber Orrange chipped in with 13 points plus three rebounds. Completing the scoring, Joslyn and Toni had 9 each. Everyone got into the game, but only the five starters scored.

After the game, the team donned their championship T-shirts and hats. The tournament trophy was presented to head coach Tara VanDerveer, who held it up before giving it to Nneka to show the team.

Following the traditional net-cutting, Nneka received a trophy as the tournament’s most outstanding player. She and Chiney were named to the all-tournament team.

NCAA action for Stanford starts in Virginia

One week later, the team had received one of four NCAA tournament No. 1 seeds and had traveled three times zones and about 3,000 miles to play in the first two rounds in the Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

For the first game against nearby Hampton University on March 17, the crowd totaled 4,258. It included a smattering of Stanford fans along with relatives of players and coaches, including Tara, who has a sister and other relatives nearby, and assistant coach Trina Patterson, who has brothers and others in the area.

Stanford chalked up a 73-51 win over Hampton, but there was a scare early in the first half when Chiney fell awkwardly and limped off the floor to see trainer Marcella Shorty. She spent some time in the locker room, but returned to limited action, logging only 14 minutes of playing time and scoring 9 points.

Nneka had a team-high 28, followed by Joslyn with 16, including two consecutive 3-pointers early in the second half. Toni added 9, Amber 7 and Sarah 4.

Before facing West Virginia University two days later, on March 19, the team had a pregame sendoff from its waterfront hotel, where Stanford banners hung in the lobby and stars with the names of the players and staff adorned tiles in front of the entrance.

The contingent included a new-look Tree, who sported red fishnet stockings and red netting on the lower branches. A longtime fan explained that this was next year’s Tree, a woman. The present Tree, a man, had returned to Stanford, where the men’s basketball team was hosting and playing in the NIT.

With Hampton out, total attendance dropped by more than half to 2,055, but Stanford fans got to see their team win 72-55.

The game was notable for the guards’ outstanding contributions. News stories before the game had talked about WVU’s physical play, which presumably would focus on Stanford’s bigs.

Tara and her staff came up with a game plan that concentrated on the guards penetrating and shooting rather than trying to get the ball in to Nneka, Chiney or another forward. Consequently Amber finished with a team-high and career-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds. Toni added 10 points and five rebounds, while senior guard Lindy La Rocque came off the bench to add 4 points and a rebound. The three guards had a total of eight assists and no turnovers.

Not to be overlooked, the bigs played their part. Nneka had 16 points, Chiney 13, Joslyn 9 and Sarah 2.

The team flew back to the Bay Area right after the game because of finals week.

Two wins make for fun in Fresno

Travel the following week was far less arduous because the team had only a three- or four-hour bus ride to its regional site at the Save Mart Center on the Cal State Fresno campus. However, the games weren’t quite as easy, but still the team won both games and earned the right to go to Denver for its fifth consecutive Final Four.

Because Fresno is relatively close to the Bay Area, many fans drove. Others opted for the booster bus that made the trip to each game. People wearing Fresno State sweatshirts also flocked to the games. Many fans began their pre-game activities with food and refreshments at the Dog House Grill across from the arena.

Stanford’s March 24 game against South Carolina was preceded by the Duke-St. John’s contest, which Duke won 74-47.

When the Stanford team ran onto the floor, junior forward Mikaela Ruef and freshman guard Alex Green were among them. Rehabbing from surgery for injuries, they had not traveled to LA or Norfolk.

Inspired by the team’s popular “Nerd City Kids” rap video, which was created by Nneka and Chiney and which features other Stanford athletes, many fans were in nerd attire. They included the Stanford women’s water polo team in full nerd regalia with suspenders, pig tails, taped glasses and beanies. They switched to more conventional attire for halftime, when they were honored as the 2011 national champions. Back in their seats, they reverted to nerd mode.

Also on hand were the band, cheerleaders, Dollies and the new female Tree. This time she wore black tights rather than red fishnet stockings, but she kept the red netting on her costume.

The score was an uncomfortably close 33-30 in the final seconds of the first half when Joslyn caught an inbound pass while standing just in front of the South Carolina bench and heaved a long buzzer beater that upped the score to 36-30. It was the team’s only 3 of the night.

The score gradually widened during the second half, ending 76-60. Nneka was the game’s unstoppable heroine, scoring 39 points, more than half of the team’s total. Also in double figures were Toni with 12 and Chiney with 11 – despite playing with a brace on her right knee, which she had bruised in Norfolk.

Spirited sendoff before the Duke game

Two days later, on March 26, the team was treated to a sendoff from its hotel before the Duke game. The players and other students were in high spirits as the Tree high-fived some fans and the players borrowed the cheerleaders’ pompons during one song.

After the sendoff, some fans went to the gathering at the Dog House Grill, while others went to the arena to pick up their tickets. Once inside, they sought their seats and food. One popular item was ice cream made at Fresno State.

Some fans were worried about playing Duke, but Tara and her staff came up with a solid game plan that put Stanford ahead 40-25 at the half and 81-69 at the final buzzer.

Twenty-one points came from 3-pointers, thanks to three by Joslyn and one each by Toni, Amber, Taylor and Lindy. Twenty-nine points came from Nneka, followed by Joslyn and Amber with 13 each and Chiney with 12. Chiney led the team in rebounding with 17.

With the game well in hand in its final minutes and the crowd cheering, Tara cleared the bench. Duke still continued to press and foul. Its last foul sent senior guard Grace Mashore to the free-throw line, where she made both shots, setting off even louder cheers by the crowd and her teammates.

Then came a familiar sight as the players donned regional championship hats and T-shirts and Tara accepted the trophy. Chiney and Nneka were named to the all-tournament team, and Nneka was named most valuable player. Next it was time to cut down the nets before returning to Palo Alto that night.

Stanford proves to be a tough foe for Baylor

Even though their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four ended with a semi-final loss to eventual champion Baylor, the team and its coaches had many reasons to be proud of their accomplishments in Denver.

For one, the coaches came up with an excellent game plan against 6’8” phenom Brittney Griner and her talented teammates in the semifinal match at the Pepsi Center on April 1. Consequently, the Cardinal held Brittney to only 13 points, compared with Nneka’s 22. Both All-Americans had nine rebounds to lead their teams.

The final score was 59-47 in Baylor’s favor, a 12-point difference. In the championship game on April 3, Notre Dame lost to Baylor 80-61, a 19-point difference, while allowing Brittney to score 26 points and grab 13 rebounds. Stanford had held Baylor to 36.5 percent shooting, while Notre Dame allowed it to shoot 50 percent.

Unfortunately, Stanford shot only 33.3 percent against Baylor, missing many shots that it might ordinarily make. Fouls also hurt Stanford, which made an uncharacteristic 17, compared with Baylor’s nine. Baylor made 19 points on free throws, while Stanford scored 5 – a 14-point disparity.

The score at the half was 25-23 in Baylor’s favor. The game was nip-and-tuck until about midway through the second half, when it began slipping away. Still, a rally seemed possible even though All-American Chiney had fouled out at about the 7:30 mark when Baylor was ahead 46-36.

The score was 50-43 at the 2:51 mark, but Baylor surged ahead. With only a few seconds remaining in her final collegiate game, Nneka went to the bench and hugged the coaches and all of her teammates as the crowd cheered. Another senior, Sarah, scored the team’s final basket.

When Baylor went on to win the championship game, it became the first collegiate team – men’s or women’s – to go 40-0 in the process.

Final Four festivities

There were numerous activities for players and fans even before the first tipoff. One of them was a Stanford pre-game reception and sendoff on the afternoon of April 1 at the historic Brown Palace Hotel, where the team was staying.

More than 300 fans and family members attended the reception, where they could help themselves to food, red Stanford rally towels, team posters, pompons and the now-ubiquitous nerd glasses.

The sendoff began in the hotel’s elegant central atrium. On the main floor, guests were enjoying tea in an open dining area while being serenaded by a classical violinist. Stanford banners hung from balconies.

The violinist took a seat as the band began to play on and in front of the staircase leading up from the main floor. Everyone then moved outside as the team began to arrive and assemble in front of its bus.

Little girls waving pompons danced in front of the team and Tree, and soon Toni and Grace were dancing with the Dollies. As “All Right Now” sounded, the team boarded the bus and left with a police escort.

Most fans arrived in time to catch the Notre Dame-UConn game, which went into overtime after ending 67-67 in regulation time. That’s when the Irish took over and won 83-75.

One last gathering at the spring banquet

The team gathered for one last official get-together, the annual spring banquet, April 18 at the Stanford Faculty Club.

Like the season, which included records such as a 32-game winning streak that was the longest in team history and an ongoing, nation’s best 79-game home winning streak, the banquet set a record with some 320 attendees. Some people had to be turned away because the room was filled to capacity, and even then, some staff members sat at a table on the patio.

The evening was filled with thank-you’s to everyone who had played a role in the team’s successes. It was highlighted by Tara’s introducing each player, starting with the three sophomores and continuing through the two juniors and six freshmen. “The six-pack is a special freshman class. Now is your time to step up,” she told them.

After introducing the coaches, she came to the four seniors, “a great class.” She enumerated each one’s accomplishments and contributions and gave each a chance to respond.

She ended with Nneka, who just two days earlier had been the first pick in the WNBA draft, chosen by the Los Angeles Sparks. “This is a Stanford first,” Tara said.

She recited a long list of Nneka’s other honors, including the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. The team captain’s 2,491 career points at Stanford are second only to Candice Wiggins, ’08.

The lighthearted Lizard Lung Award went to freshman forward Bonnie Samuelson and was presented by Chiney, last year’s winner.

Next the audience was treated to a video that started with the team’s initial workouts in the fall and featured each player in game action. It was packed with season highlights, especially the home win over Tennessee and some unbelievable plays by Nneka.

The evening ended with Tara looking ahead to 2012-13. “We are going to have a great team next year,” she said.

She also talked of maintaining the team’s legacy and the responsibility of the returning players, especially the seniors, to help the incoming freshmen adjust to the Stanford way of playing and conducting oneself on and off the court.

Defenders of the legacy can look at some stats from this 35-2 season: The two losses came by a total of 22 points, an average of 11 points. By contrast, the 35 wins came by a total of 781 points, an average of 22.3. Only four wins were by single digits (USC, Oregon State, Cal and Arizona State), and only one game (Cal) went into overtime.

After basking in the evening’s festivities, the returning players were scheduled for an early-morning workout the next day. The legacy continues.

Thanks for the memories, Part 2 of 3

After opening its pre-conference season with a 9-1 record and taking a brief break for Christmas, the Stanford women’s basketball team was ready to take on the Pac-12 Conference for the first time.

The former Pac-10 became the Pac-12 this season with the addition of the universities of Colorado and Utah. The expansion meant that instead of playing every conference opponent twice, each team would meet some teams only once. Traditional rivalries were maintained.

Stanford’s conference play began with a road trip to Southern California, where the Cardinal defeated USC 61-53 on Dec. 29 and UCLA 77-50 on Dec. 31.

2012 starts at home against the Oregon teams

The Cardinal began the 2012 with a 93-70 victory over Oregon on Jan. 5. It was an entertaining game in several ways, starting with some seemingly impossible moves by senior forward Nneka Ogwumike. She scored 32 points, snared 15 rebounds and recorded two assists, three blocks and two steals with no turnovers and only two fouls in 33 minutes.

When they weren’t marveling at Nneka, fans could applaud freshman forwards Bonnie Samuelson and Taylor Greenfield, who delivered six and five 3-pointers, respectively. Senior guard Lindy La Rocque, sophomore guard Toni Kokenis and junior forward Joslyn Tinkle each had one 3, raising the team total to 14.

Oregon State gave Stanford a harder time on Jan. 7, but the Cardinal prevailed 67-60. Once again Nneka led the team, recording 33 points and 16 rebounds. In the process, she joined the team’s exclusive 2,000-point/1,000-rebound club. The only other members are Jayne Appel, ’10; Nicole Powell, ’04; and Val Whiting, ’93. Nneka was the first to reach both milestones in the same game.

The team also got a big lift from her sister, sophomore forward Chiney, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds. Together, the sisters accounted for 53 of the team’s 67 points.

Stanford trailed 35-31 at the half, but fans enjoyed a reprieve from the tension during halftime because of Dog Lovers Day. It was highlighted by the annual visit of the popular agility dogs.

Arriving to cheers and a standing ovation, Nneka appeared briefly before fans gathered behind the bench after the game. Head coach Tara VanDerveer lauded her, calling her “one of the greatest players to ever play at Stanford.”

Fans also heard from Susan King Borchardt, ’05, the team’s new sports performance coach. She “was one of our most tenacious defenders that we’ve ever had,” associate head coach Amy Tucker said. As a former player, Susan makes helpful observations for the coaches. “It’s almost like having another assistant coach,” Amy said.

Susan is married to Curtis Borchardt, who played basketball at Stanford before going to Spain to play professionally. They have three children, who – in January – included a 21-month-old son and 5 ½-month-old twins, a boy and a girl.

The newest conference members hosted the Cardinal the following week, when the team defeated Utah 62-43 on Jan. 12 and Colorado 80-54 on Jan. 14.

Washington teams pay visits

Returning from the Mountain Time zone, Stanford hosted Washington State on Jan. 19. The Cougars had escaped being snowed in by storms pounding the Pacific Northwest, but they couldn’t escape being snowed under by the Stanford women, who prevailed 75-41.

This game featured the home debut of the revised lineup that Tara had instituted against Utah and Colorado. Continuing their starting roles were Nneka, Chiney and Toni, while Joslyn and freshman point guard Amber Orrange joined them. This was the lineup for the rest of the season.

The first half ended 31-20 after Joslyn stole the ball and got it to Toni for a successful layup with just 1 second to go.

Part of the team’s dominance can be explained by defense, which didn’t allow any WSU player to score more than 7 points. All 12 available Stanford players got into the game and contributed in some way.

Washington arrived next and fell 65-47 on Jan. 21. Although Nneka and Chiney were tops in scoring with 17 and 15 points, respectively, two freshmen were a big help. Amber had 4 points to go with nine assists – with each assist leading to at least 2 points – while Taylor came off the bench to make four of her five 3-point shots for 12 points.

Freshman guard Alex Green was the guest after the game. She’s “probably our shyest freshman,” Amy said. Alex was out of action because she was rehabbing from surgery for a torn Achilles tendon.

Cal extends game to OT

With a reported attendance of 6,075, Maples was rocking as cross-bay rival Cal arrived a week later and gave the team its toughest home game all season before falling 74-71 in overtime on Jan. 28.

The score seesawed through the early part of the first half, but Stanford edged ahead and went into the locker room with a 38-29 lead. Stanford widened the gap initially, but Cal narrowed it, allowing regulation play to end 69-69.

Chiney and Toni proved to be the difference in OT, with Chiney scoring 3 of her 27 total points and Toni recording 2 of her 18 points. Chiney’s point total and her 18 rebounds were both career highs.

Twice during the game fans were treated to a new crowd-pleaser – T-shirts fired from the Shockwave, a T-shirt shooting robotic cannon remotely controlled by a teenage boy.

More fun came during halftime with the introduction of Stanford’s 2011 national champion women’s soccer team. Next the video board showed highlights from Stanford’s Big Game football victory over Cal to claim the Axe. Then six Cardinal football players paraded onto the court carrying the trophy.

More football memories were evoked during the second half when former Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh was shown in the stands. After becoming the San Francisco 49er coach in the fall, he had led his resurgent team to the NFC championship game the previous week.

Lauren Greif, special assistant and video coordinator, and Liz Rizza, intern, were the guests at the post-game gathering.

Desert proves fruitful for Cardinal

The Arizona desert was the team’s next destination. While the Cardinal took on Arizona State on Feb. 2, about 30 fans gathered at the Old Pro sports bar in downtown Palo Alto to watch their team record a 62-49 victory.

The game was much closer than the final score would indicate. The teams were tied 28-28 at the half and 40-40 slightly more than eight minutes into the second half. Then Stanford took over, thanks in large part to the Ogwumikes. Nneka poured in 22 points, while Chiney had 20, and each pulled down 16 rebounds.

Stanford had an easier time against Arizona, winning 91-51 on Feb. 4.

National audience for Nneka’s next milestone

A national TV audience got to see Stanford defeat USC 69-52 at Maples on Feb. 9 as Nneka surpassed Jayne to advance to No. 3 on the team’s all-time scoring list. She finished with 22 points, making her career total 2,143 at that point. Chiney was right behind her with 21 points. She also had a career-high and team-high six blocks.

During the half, the crowd saluted the No. 6 nationally ranked women’s lacrosse team, which was to open its season the next day. The team got in some shot practice by hurling mini-balls into the stands.

Fans also saw a new-look Tree with a brown trunk and face beneath scalloped, dark green fronds.

Feb. 12 was Pink Zone Day, and that’s where the team was as it recorded an 82-59 victory over visiting UCLA. Thus the Cardinal notched their 76th home win, their 70th consecutive conference win and their 19th consecutive win of the season.

The first half ended with Stanford on top 35-30, but the Cardinal pulled away in the second half even as UCLA upped its pressure. “This reminds me of a typical Stanford game,” TV commentator Mary Murphy told fans after the game. Stanford seems to get a feel for its opponent during the first half, makes the necessary adjustments and then, in the second half, “here they come,” she said.

After traveling to Oregon the next week, the team returned with a 78-45 win over Oregon State on Feb. 16 and an 81-46 win over Oregon on Feb. 18. Thus the team clinched its first-ever Pac-12 conference title.

Tara, Nneka, Joslyn, Chiney take to the airwaves

Tara, Nneka, Joslyn and Chiney talked about the team during a radio interview conducted at Gordon Biersch Restaurant in downtown Palo Alto on Feb. 20. KNBR’s “Inside Stanford Sports” was hosted by John Platz. Some 40 or so fans gathered at the restaurant to hear the interviews.

“We’ll keep it going. We’re starting to play our best basketball,” Tara said. She then singled out several players for praise, including the starting five and the freshmen.

Nneka was next up at the microphone. Noting that she had learned a lot from Jayne as well as the previous year’s leaders, Kayla Pedersen and Jeanette Pohlen, she said, “I want the younger players to be a part of that tradition.”

Playing with Chiney “is like playing with three other people rather than four. She’s like an extension of me,” Nneka said.

There’s a lot of pressure on Nneka and Chiney, Joslyn said, but it takes everyone to win. The players must “focus on having very good team chemistry.”

Teamwork was a theme for Chiney, too. “The person with the best shot is the person who’s open,” she said. “This year we’ve been focusing on every play, every possession.”

Colorado plays a risky but losing game

Colorado took a highly aggressive but risky approach when it visited Stanford on Feb. 23. It worked for a while in the first half, but Stanford dominated the second half and closed with a 68-46 victory.

Colorado’s aggressiveness resulted in 15 of Stanford’s 19 turnovers in the first half, but it also resulted in 25 Colorado fouls, leading to 27 Stanford points. By comparison, Stanford had only 14 fouls that led to 8 Colorado points.

Scoring her 13th point just before the first-half buzzer, Nneka moved past Kate Starbird, ’97, into second place on the team’s all-time scoring list. She finished the game with 23 points and a total of 2,230 for her career.

After tossing victory balls after the game, the players donned T-shirts commemorating their Pac-12 season championship. A Pac-12 official presented the championship trophy to Tara, who passed it on to the happy players. After posing for a team picture in front of a Pac-12 championship banner, the players left the floor with Nneka carrying the trophy.

Grace-ful note to Senior Day

There were many reasons to celebrate the team’s 69-42 victory over Utah on Feb. 25, Senior Day, but none were more rousing than the final moment. That’s when senior guard Grace Mashore made a 3-point shot, her first basket of the season, and set the crowd aroar.

Grace’s basket was a fitting way to cap off the win, the team’s 78th straight at home and Tara’s 700th at Stanford.

Amber had scored on Stanford’s first possession, while a stifling Cardinal defense forced Utah into shot-clock violations on its first two possessions. Utah was down 9-0 before scoring its first basket with 15:30 to go in the first half.

The T-shirt-shooting Shockwave robot returned during two timeouts, while Bloomer basketball at halftime featured older players following rules from the ’50s and ’60s. The video board showed Stanford’s 1896 team, which won the first-ever women’s collegiate basketball game 2-1 over Cal on April 4, 1896.

Also during halftime, the No. 1 nationally ranked men’s volleyball team tossed victory balls into the stands.

Nevertheless, the afternoon belonged to the Class of 2012. Grace, Lindy, Nneka and forward/center Sarah Boothe were honored in a post-game ceremony in Maples and afterward at a Fast Break Club gathering in Dallmar Court.

The post-game ceremony started with a video saluting each player and ending with a list of the class’s accomplishments to date. Then each of the four walked to center court accompanied by parents and other family members.

Each one, as well as parents and a teammate, had a chance to speak at the Dallmar gathering, starting with Sarah. Toni said Sarah is “like everyone’s big sister. … She’s always there for you. We call her Mama Boothe.”

Introducing Lindy, Tara referred to her signature play. It came at home against Cal her freshman year when she dove onto the floor for a loose ball, flipped it to a streaking Jillian Harmon, ’09, who scored an uncontested layup.

Joslyn said her teammates call Lindy “Coach La Rocque. She will be very missed.” Tara affirmed Lindy’s basketball knowledge. “We do talk about coaching stuff,” she said.

When Tara spoke of Grace, she noted “how important she is to our team.” Sophomore guard Sara James said Grace “makes me want to work even harder.”

Next came Nneka’s turn. “I just enjoy coaching Nneka every day,” Tara said. Nneka said she planned to graduate at the end of the term in hopes of going on to the WNBA. (She was the No. 1 draft pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in April.) “She has taught me so many, many lessons,” Chiney said. “She’s a mother to all of us.”

Two more games close the regular season

Even though the seniors had already had their special day, they and their teammates still had one more home game, taking on Seattle University and winning 76-52 on Feb. 29. It was a nonconference game with a team that’s transitioning into Division I.

The Redhawks gave Stanford a more competitive game than the score might suggest because of their solid defense and quickness. In the end, though, they were no match for the likes of Nneka with 19 points, Chiney with 18, Joslyn with 14 and Amber with 10. Bonnie came off the bench to add 12 points thanks to four 3-pointers – three of them consecutive.

Thus the team extended its home winning streak to 79 games. That means the class of 2012 is the second consecutive group of seniors to toss out victory balls after every one of their home games.

Nneka received a standing ovation when she went to the bench for the final time with 5:02 left. Grace was cheered when she entered the game with 2:23 to go.

After the game, the crowd was treated to a video with highlights from the season, ending with “Thank You Seniors.” With that, announcer Betty Ann Boeving signed off from her 13th season at the microphone.

Seattle coach Joan Bonvicini spoke to the Fast Break Club after the game and said of the Ogwumikes, “They’re the real deal.” Prophetically, she also said the team had a good chance to go to its fifth consecutive Final Four.

Winding up the regular season March 4, the team traveled across the bay to take on Cal. Also making the trek was a booster bus with 39 fans as well as many more who made their way to the UC Berkeley campus on their own.

Unlike the Cal-Stanford matchup earlier in the season, this one was much easier for Stanford, which won 86-61.

Toni led the Cardinal with 23 points, including three 3’s. Nneka added 22, while Joslyn had 16 and Chiney had 12. Bonnie had 9 points from her three 3’s.

Next up: tournament time

Thanks for the memories, Part 1 of 3

Over a period of more than nine months, starting with Pro-Am play at Kezar Pavilion in San Francisco, fans of Stanford women’s basketball were treated to an array of games and events that made the 2011-12 season a memorable one.

Overall, the team compiled a record of 35-2 and won its 12th consecutive -- and 21st overall -- Pac-12 regular season title by going 18-0 in conference play.

This was its third straight undefeated conference season. Including the three Pac-12 tournament wins that clinched the program's sixth straight tournament crown and its ninth overall, Stanford extended its conference winning streak to a record 78 games.

The team also went 16-0 at Maples Pavilion, thus extending its program record to 79 straight home wins – the longest ongoing home winning streak in the nation. That means that none of this year’s seniors – forwards Nneka Ogwumike and Sarah Boothe and guards Lindy La Rocque and Grace Mashore – and none of last year’s seniors had ever lost at Maples.

For just the second time in program history, Stanford boasted two WBCA Coaches' All-Americans, as Nneka and her sister, sophomore forward Chiney, were named to the 10-player team. Sophomore guard Toni Kokenis was named to the All-Pac-12 Team, while forward Taylor Greenfield and guard Amber Orrange were named Pac-12 All-Freshman Team honorable mention.

Even before amassing all of these team and individual honors, the team’s head coach, Tara VanDerveer, earned a prestigious honor herself. In August she was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. She went on to win her 700th Stanford game against Utah on Feb. 25 and completed the season with 709 wins at Stanford. She has a total of 826 wins for her entire career.

Kezar offers summer preview of freshmen

Fans got their very first taste of what was to come as five of the six incoming freshmen plus junior forward Joslyn Tinkle played together in SF Bay Area Pro-Am competition during the summer. They were joined by a Stanford alum, guard Markisha Coleman, ’07. Freshman guard Alex Green, recovering from a torn ACL in November 2010, couldn’t play but attended the games.

In all, the Stanford women had a 3-2 record at Kezar, with both losses in overtime. Except for the second loss, which she missed, Joslyn was the team’s high scorer with point totals ranging from 28 to 38. She also snared numerous rebounds, blocked shots and served as floor leader for her freshman teammates. They were guards Jasmine Camp and Amber plus forwards Bonnie Samuelson, Erica Payne and Taylor.

Fans meet the team at open practice

Fans had a chance to see most of the team in action at an open practice Oct. 21 in Maples Pavilion. Amber missed the event because she had a cold, and junior Mikaela Ruef mostly stayed on the sidelines because of a sore foot. She wasn’t idle, though. The team’s new sports performance coach, Susan King Borchardt, ’05, worked with her on conditioning.

After some warmups and drills, various combinations of players saw action as they were subbed in and out during scrimmages. In the first scrimmage, Alex beat everyone on two fast breaks despite a brace on her knee.

After the practice, 132 fans packed neighboring Jimmy V’s for dinner and a chance to hear Tara introduce each player. She also introduced her staff, including her new assistant coach, Trina Patterson. Trina replaced Bobbie Kelsey, who left to become head coach at the University of Wisconsin.

“This is a very different team from the past,” Tara said. “It’s going to grow on you.” Those words proved prophetic as the season wore on.

Team notches two wins in exhibition play

The freshmen and their teammates got their first taste of competition when they defeated UC San Diego 106-56 in an exhibition game Nov. 2. The starting lineup featured Nneka, Chiney, Lindy, and sophomore guards Sara James and Toni Kokenis, who was at the point.

By the time the final buzzer sounded, all 14 healthy players had seen action. Mikaela was in uniform but didn’t play because of her foot. Leading the scoring were Chiney with 19, Nneka with 17 and Joslyn with 16. Bonnie led the freshmen with 15 points, thanks to shooting five for seven on 3-pointers.

The next exhibition came at home on Nov. 5, when Vanguard fell 100-54. The starters were Nneka, Lindy, Chiney, Taylor and Amber at the point. By the end of the game, 13 players had seen action. Mikaela was held out again, as was Toni, who had taken a tumble in the UC San Diego game. Both were in uniform, though.

The afternoon was notable for a barrage of 14 3-pointers, thanks to five each by Bonnie and Lindy plus two each by Taylor and Sara.

Games that count start in Texas

After those two exhibitions, the team set off on its first road trip, journeying to the University of Texas for a 72-59 victory on Nov. 11. Nneka missed that game because of an unspecified upper body injury.

Two days later, the team was home to face Gonzaga. Thanks to a 76-61 win, the freshmen took part in a post-game tradition for the first time by joining their teammates in tossing victory balls into the stands. The Zags had proved to be a tough opponent, leading 32-31 at the half, but Nneka and Chiney took over in the second half, scoring all of the team’s 17 points by the 13:36 mark.

During halftime, fans honored the 1991-92 team, which was the last Stanford WBB team to win the national championship. Several support staff members and players were there. Another player, Kate Paye, now an assistant coach, was in the locker room, while another, Bobbie, sent her best wishes from Wisconsin via video.

Tara was honored after the game, when athletic director Bob Bowlsby gave her a trophy and photomontage in honor of her induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

In a post-game gathering behind the bench, associate head coach Amy Tucker introduced Taylor to the fans. Taylor hails from Huxley, Iowa, population 2,000, but it’s only about 9 miles from Ames, home of Iowa State, her parents’ alma mater.

One of her biggest adjustments to playing at Stanford, she said, is that she’s in a forward spot, whereas she was the point guard on her high school team.

All 15 players see action against Old Dominion

When Old Dominion came calling on Nov. 17, Stanford logged a 97-48 victory. As had been the case in the Gonzaga game, all 15 Cardinal players were healthy and available for action. This time, all of them got into the game and contributed in some way, if only for hustle and defense. In retrospect, it was the only game all season that featured everyone.

Lindy led the scoring with a career-high 15 points, all from 3-pointers. Nneka had 14, Chiney 13, Joslyn 12 and Sarah 10. No one played more than 20 minutes, the total logged by Sarah.

Before the game started, Tara was given a plaque honoring her as the national Women’s Coach of the Year. Then Old Dominion got off on the wrong foot by being assessed with a technical foul for failing to submit its starting lineup on time. When Toni made both free throws, the score was 2-0 before the tipoff.

UConn hands Cardinal its only regular season loss

The team was back on the road again, facing UConn on Nov. 21. The game resulted in what was to be Stanford’s only regular season loss as UConn prevailed 68-58. Alex didn’t make the trip because she had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during practice the previous week. The injury, which required surgery, kept her out for the rest of the season.

Several dozen fans who couldn’t make the trip gathered for a viewing party at a new (to them) venue, an upstairs room at the Old Pro in downtown Palo Alto.

The team remained in the Eastern Time zone, traveling to Ohio to prepare for its game against Xavier in Cincinnati.

Thus the Stanford contingent was able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Mikaela’s mother at the Ruef family home in Beavercreek, Ohio, a Dayton suburb about 52 miles north of Cincinnati. Fortified with turkey and all the fixings, the team went on to defeat Xavier 80-64 the next day, Nov. 25.

One quick trip home, then on the road to Fresno

Back at Maples, UC Davis fell 93-44 on Nov. 30. Cardinal scoring was led by one member of each class, starting with Nneka, 20; Joslyn, a career-high 19; Chiney, 18; and Bonnie, 15 – thanks to five of the team’s 11 3-pointers.

With Lindy sidelined by what was reported to be a sore foot, Jasmine took her place in the starting lineup along with Nneka, Chiney, Taylor and Toni.

The next road trip was literally down the road as the team took a bus and a number of fans drove to Fresno State for a 93-59 win on Dec. 4. With a starting lineup that featured Nneka, Chiney, Taylor, Toni and Jasmine, the team led from the very first and never looked back.

Initially the game looked like “The Nneka and Chiney Show” with the sisters dominating the boards and scoring. Playing a team-leading 27 minutes, Chiney had 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Nneka played only 18 minutes, but she had a team-high 21 points plus 12 rebounds. Stanford’s superior height allowed it to virtually own the boards, outrebounding the Bulldogs 67-28.

With finals behind them, team takes on Princeton

After a break for studying and finals, the team was back in action at home on Dec. 17, defeating Princeton 85-66. This time the starting lineup featured the Ogwumikes plus Taylor, Jasmine and Lindy.

The visitors kept the game close during the first half, trailing only 39-32 at the break. In the second half, Stanford turned up the offensive and defensive heat to lead by as much as 27 with 2:23 to go.

Afterward, fans heard from one of the Princeton coaches, Milena Flores, a Stanford basketball grad, class of 2000. With this game behind her, “I’m looking forward to cheering for Stanford all the rest of the way,” she said.

Fans also heard from Jasmine, who hails from Atlanta. Playing basketball since she was 4, she had thought she would wind up closer to home, but Stanford “is truly worth the trip. I have a great time here. It’s such a family. I love it,” she said.

Excitement, poignancy in victory over Lady Vols

Three days later, Maples was packed to the rafters and the atmosphere was electric for the Tennessee game. It stayed that way as Stanford won 97-80 led by the exuberance, exhilaration and sheer joy generated by Nneka. The team captain not only scored a career-high 42 points but also hauled in 17 rebounds, dished out three assists and had two steals in her 39 minutes on the floor.

Not to be overlooked, Toni had a career-high 26 points plus four assists, one rebound and one steal in 38 minutes. Adding 14 points, Chiney was the only other Cardinal in double figures.

Despite all this excitement, the evening had its poignant moments as the crowd honored the Lady Vols’ legendary head coach, Pat Summitt. Before the season started, she announced that she had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type. Later, after the season ended, she stepped down and became head coach emeritus.

To honor her, Stanford fans were given red rally towels emblazoned with an “S” and reading, “We back Pat.” After warmly applauding the Lady Vols when they came on the court, fans greeted Pat’s entrance with a prolonged standing ovation.

Shortly before the game started, fans got their first look at Episode 3 of “The Real Ladies of Maples,” shot mostly by Chiney and focusing on the team’s Thanksgiving dinner at Mikaela’s home.

Mikaela was still on the sidelines because of her foot. She and Alex were joined by Jasmine, who was on crutches because of a foot injury. None of them played for the rest of the season.

Win over Bakersfield ends nonconference play

Stanford wrapped up its nonconference season Dec. 22 with a home 90-48 win over Cal State Bakersfield. Because of injuries, the Roadrunners had only seven players in uniform, and no starter was over 6 feet. Moreover, the team was transitioning to Division I, so meeting an elite team like Stanford presented a formidable challenge.

For their part, Stanford’s starters – the Ogwumikes, Joslyn, Lindy and Toni – got to spend most of the game on the sidelines, sipping Gatorade and cheering teammates who don’t get as much time in the spotlight.

After the game, Nneka paid a visit to fans in Kissick Auditorium, where she received a standing ovation to honor her performance against Tennessee. She was typically modest about her accomplishment. Asked if she realizes the legacy she’s leaving, she said, “I feel like I’m still part of a legacy,” and cited such great predecessors as Jayne Appel, ’10, and Candice Wiggins, ’08. “I’m a part of this program. I just do what I can do to help.”

One way she helps is to mentor the freshmen. “She’s our unpaid assistant,” Amy said, noting that Nneka often explains the coaches’ comments to her new teammates.

Next up: The first Pac-12 season begins.

2011-12 team gets real for Tara

When head coach Tara VanDerveer was in Denver for a speaking engagement last spring, she stayed at the Brown Palace Hotel and happened to pass the Pepsi Center. She thought about how great it would be if her Stanford women’s basketball team played there for the 2012 Final Four. Then she told herself, “Get real.”

After all, her team had just lost five players, including Kayla Pedersen and Jeanette Pohlen, to graduation, and six freshmen were coming in – not a promising scenario.

Nevertheless, the team that assembled on campus last fall surpassed her initial expectations and wound up playing in Stanford’s fifth consecutive Final Four at the Pepsi Center in Denver just a few weeks ago. Not only that, but the team stayed in the Brown Palace Hotel. Now she’s hoping for a history-making sixth consecutive Final Four next season.

Tara related her Denver experience by way of introduction to the team’s annual spring banquet April 18 at the Stanford Faculty Club. She then proceeded to thank everyone who had any part in the team’s success, starting with university president John Hennessy and other administrators and continuing with a host of staffers, scholarship sponsors and, of course, the players.

Like the season, which included records such as a 32-game winning streak that was the longest in team history and an ongoing, nation’s best 79-game home winning streak, the banquet itself was a record with some 320 attendees. Some people had to be turned away because the banquet room was filled to capacity. In fact, one table was set up on the patio for several staff members.

DeeDee Zawaydeh, administrative assistant, served as emcee. A large screen was set up at the front of the room, and smaller screens in two corners gave everyone a good view of the proceedings, which were captured by a cameraman in the middle of the room.

Saluting the sophomores

In introducing each player, Tara departed from tradition by starting with the sophomores.

She called guard Sara James a “high energy, unselfish” player. She noted that the human biology major is often the first one at practice.

Fellow guard Toni Kokenis, a starter, was the team’s third-leading scorer and leader in assists. Along with being a good defender, she led the Pac-12 in assist-to-turnover ratio and in steals. Her mother, Marie, was there with her twin brother, Peter.

Forward Chiney Ogwumike is “another tough defender,” Tara said, and “maybe the best offensive rebounder ever to wear a Stanford jersey.” Named to the All-American team along with other honors, she’s “a competitor and a warrior,” the coach said.

Juniors expected to make big contributions

After more thanks to various staffers, the next in line for introductions were the two juniors, starting with forward Mikaela Ruef, who missed most of the year with foot problems. “Get ready for next year,” Tara told her. Tara called her the captain of the rehab team (two freshmen also missed most of the season with injuries) and said, “She will really help” when she returns to action. The coach added that the management, science and engineering major earned all A’s last quarter.

Fellow forward Joslyn Tinkle “had a breakout season,” Tara said. She led the team with 47 blocks and had the highest 3-point and free throw percentage. The sociology and communication major also is “a vocal leader.”

The next round of thanks included strength and conditioning coach Susan Borchardt, a former Stanford player who joined the staff last fall. “The Susan system works,” Tara said, referring to the role Susan has played in the team’s success.

Team’s six pack of freshmen

Then Tara introduced the freshmen, starting with guard Jasmine Camp, “a high-energy player” who missed most of the season with a stress fracture in her foot. Joining Jasmine on the sidelines was guard Alex Green, a good defender who tore her Achilles tendon in November.

Forward Taylor Greenfield is a good 3-point shooter with “great basketball instincts,” Tara said. She was an honorable mention member of the Pac-12 all-freshman team.

Guard Amber Orrange earned the same honor while stepping into the starting point guard spot during the season. “Amber really picked up her defense” and has “amazing acceleration and court sense,” Tara said.

Forward Erica Payne “practices like a senior,” the coach said. Her on-court craftiness earned her a nickname of “the worm,” and she’s developing a perimeter game.

With her quick release, forward Bonnie Samuelson “led the team in 3-pointers made” with 44, Tara said.

“The six-pack is a special freshman class. Now is your time to step up,” Tara said, noting that many players improve the most between their freshman and sophomore seasons.

Coaches merit praise

Tara invited her coaching colleagues to join her in front and praised each one, starting with assistant Trina Patterson, whom she welcomed to her first banquet and whom she lauded for “outstanding teaching skills.” Trina also added four new fans to the booster base thanks to her husband and three sons, who attend most games.

Assistant Kate Paye, another former Stanford player, has been with the team for five years, hence helping to lead it to its five straight Final Fours. Kate has good people skills, Tara said.

Associate head coach Amy Tucker “is really funny,” Tara said, but she also “gets things done.” A good evaluator and developer of talent, she will soon be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

“I work at a great university,” Tara said, noting that nothing has changed since her own induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last fall. She appreciates the support that coaches of other Stanford sports give her and the team.

‘Invested seniors’ lead team

“Our team is led by invested seniors,” she said, calling the foursome “a great class.” Lined up behind her were the four seniors’ framed white jerseys.

Forward Sarah Boothe, No. 42, had foot injuries, but she “worked hard to get healthy.” The coach also called the psychology major “a good passer.” Sarah responded by thanking everyone for their support. “We have the best fans,” she said. Joining her at the banquet was one of her brothers, David, who plays football for Hope College in Michigan.

Guard Lindy La Rocque, No. 15, “will always be remembered for her hustle plays.” She also sets great screens and dishes out assists. A science, technology and society major, she was a big help to her fellow guards and “is going to be a great coach,” Tara said.

Lindy thanked her parents for their support, noting that they attended nearly every game during her four years. She got teary-eyed when she talked about her teammates and coaches.

“I’m proud of the culture our team has in caring for each other,” Tara said, introducing guard Grace Mashore, No. 1. “Her maturity and support of other players” have added to the team’s success. Fans will remember fondly the American studies major’s last-minute 3-pointer as the team wrapped up its final home victory of the season. Grace responded, “I’ve been on four really special teams.”

Finally Tara came to forward Nneka Ogwumike, No. 30, who just two days earlier had been the first pick in the WNBA draft, chosen by the Los Angeles Sparks. “This is a Stanford first,” Tara said.

Tara recited a long list of Nneka’s other honors, including the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. Her 2,491 career points at Stanford are second only to Candice Wiggins, ’08. She handled adversity well, developed her game, became more aggressive on the court and served as a great team captain. “I’ve loved being your coach,” Tara told her.

Nneka answered with a thank you and “Nerd City kid. Nerd, Nerd City kid,” the opening lines of the popular rap video that she, her teammates and other Stanford athletes made this year.

She thanked the coaches for their patience and said that when she was a freshman, she never imagined that she’d be in the WNBA. She thanked Susan for her conditioning help and her professors for being patient with the demands of the team’s travel.

Bonnie wins Lizard Lung Award

In keeping with tradition, Chiney and Sarah, past winners of the Lizard Lung Award, presented this year’s award. According to team lore, a player who was being treated for a blister asked what the trainer was using. The trainer said it came from the lungs of a lizard, and the player believed her. Hence the award usually goes to the player deemed most gullible by her teammates.

Since the award often goes to a freshman, the returning players tried not to tell the freshmen about it. Moreover, the criterion was different this year. “In one word, it’s awkward,” Chiney said, announcing Harry Potter fan Bonnie as this year’s honoree. The clincher came when the team was doing its traditional circle of dancing in the tunnel before the Hampton game in Norfolk, Va., and Bonnie did a ballet move on one leg.

“I didn’t know this award existed,” Bonnie said, adding that she was glad she could make the team laugh. Tara reassured her that Jennifer Azzi, ’90, was a winner, too. Jennifer is head coach of the USF women’s basketball team.

Video captures season highlights

Next the audience was treated to video created by Bud Anderson, director of video operations, and Lauren Greif, the team’s video coordinator. It started with the team’s initial workouts last fall and featured each player in game action. It was packed with season highlights, especially the home win over Tennessee and some unbelievable plays by Nneka, and then went on to the tournaments.

It ended with the Final Four semi-final game against eventual champion Baylor and showed the Cardinal getting past the likes of 6’8” Brittney Griner.

Tara ended the evening with another story. This time she said she had seen a Stanford maintenance truck that carried the slogan, “caretakers of our legacy.” Noting that the returning players were to begin workouts the next morning (5:30 a.m. according to some tweets), she challenged them with “Who will be the caretakers of our legacy?”

Next year’s pre-Pac-12 schedule will again be challenging with a number of NCAA tournament teams, including Baylor, she said. Touting the Cardinal’s accomplishments in the NCAA tournament, “Our team really stepped up really big,” she said.

With the return of 11 players, including four starters and the three injured players, plus the addition of two promising recruits, “We are going to have a great team next year,” she concluded.

When Tara talked about maintaining the legacy, she was referring to the responsibility of returning players, especially the seniors, to help freshmen adjust to the Stanford way of playing and conducting oneself on and off the court.

Teammates write tributes to seniors

Program notes that the freshmen, sophomores and juniors wrote to each senior attest to how the four fulfilled that responsibility.

“I don’t think I have ever met anyone with a bigger heart than you,” Sara wrote to Sarah. Erica called her Momma Boothe “because you’re always looking out for the rest of the team.” Joslyn said Sarah is “probably one of the most caring and sincere individuals I have ever met.” Others also spoke about how supportive Sarah has been. “I’ll miss your amazingly wonderful ginormous hugs whenever I’m having a down day,” Toni said.

Time and again, Lindy’s teammates cited her basketball smarts. “Whenever I have a question about basketball, I can always count on you to know the answer,” Taylor said. She and others, like Alex, thanked Lindy for “your willingness to help me with anything.” Mikaela said, “I’m going to miss having you as the coach on the floor next year.”

Teammates praised Grace for her good humor and hard work. “Grace has kept me laughing all year long,” Jasmine said. “Grace is always positive and upbeat and gets our team going every day in practice. She is one of the hardest working … and toughest players on the team,” Amber said. “Grace is a people’s champ,” Chiney said. “I’ll miss you,” Bonnie said. “I know you’ll go on to do great things.”

Nneka, like her classmates, will be greatly missed, her teammates said. “Nneka is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She has a good heart and was always willing to go out of her way to take care of the freshmen,” Amber said. Joslyn wrote, “My favorite thing about you, Nnek, is not that you’re the best player in the country but that you remain as humble and kind as you are.”

Heads held high in the mile-high city

Even though their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four didn’t turn out as they had hoped, the Stanford women’s basketball team and its coaches had many reasons to be proud of their accomplishments.

For one, head coach Tara VanDerveer and staff came up with an excellent game plan against 6’8” Baylor phenom Brittney Griner and her talented teammates in the semifinal match at the Pepsi Center in Denver on April 1.

Consequently, the Cardinal held Brittney to only 13 points, compared with Stanford senior forward Nneka Ogwumike’s 22. Both All-Americans had nine rebounds to lead their teams in that stat column. As a team, Stanford had 34 rebounds, while Baylor had 42.

Both teams had eight assists. Stanford had eight turnovers, Baylor seven. Stanford had five blocks, Baylor two (both by Brittney). Stanford had three steals, Baylor four.

The final score was 59-47 in Baylor’s favor, a 12-point difference. In the championship game on April 3, Notre Dame lost to Baylor 80-61, a 19-point difference, while allowing Brittney to score 26 points and grab 13 rebounds. Stanford held Baylor to 36.5 percent shooting, while Notre Dame allowed Baylor to shoot 50 percent.

Unfortunately, Stanford shot only 33.3 percent against Baylor, missing many shots that it might ordinarily make. The Cardinal made only two of 17 3-point attempts, or 11.8 percent. Hitting just four more 3’s plus one free throw would have tipped the score in Stanford’s favor.

Fouls also hurt Stanford, which had an uncharacteristic 17, compared with Baylor’s nine. Subsequently, Baylor scored 19 points on free throws, while Stanford scored five – a 14-point disparity.

The score after the first half was 25-23 in Baylor’s favor, while the Lady Bears led Notre Dame 34-28 at the same point. The Stanford-Baylor game was nip-and-tuck for all of the first half and part of the second. The score was tied nine times, while the lead changed eight times.

It wasn’t until about midway through the second half when the game began slipping away. Even then a rally seemed possible despite the fact that All-American sophomore forward Chiney Ogwumike had fouled out at about the 7:30 mark when the score was 46-36 in Baylor’s favor.

Thus one might conclude that Stanford more than held its own against a team that not only won the national championship but also became the first collegiate team – men’s or women’s – to go 40-0 in the process. Stanford finished 35-2, while Notre Dame went 35-4.


Fans gather for reception at hotel

As the NCAA says, the Final Four is more than just three basketball games on two days. There were numerous activities for the players and fans even before the first tipoff.

Since I didn’t arrive in Denver until the evening of March 31, I missed some of those activities, but not the Stanford fan reception the afternoon of April 1 at the historic Brown Palace Hotel, where the team was staying.

The reception was held in a newer part of the hotel across from the old, but a sky bridge connects the two. Pillars of red and white balloons adorned both ends of the glassed-in passageway.

According to a woman at the registration desk, more than 300 fans had pre-registered for the event, and many more were signing in that afternoon.

Fans could enjoy lots of food and help themselves to red Stanford rally towels, team posters, pompons and the now-ubiquitous nerd glasses, emblematic of the popular YouTube rap, “Nerd City Kids,” featuring Nneka and Chiney along with their teammates and other Stanford student athletes.


Guests included parents, siblings and other relatives of the team, along with fans and team alumnae like Kate Starbird, ’97. Kate said she is about to complete her Ph.D. in technology, media and society at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Focusing on how people use social media after a disaster, she wants to teach. She said her field of study is similar to senior guard Lindy La Rocque’s major in science, technology and society.

After the reception, some fans migrated to the original part of the hotel to await the team sendoff, while others went to the Pepsi Center to get their tickets. Those who remained continued to chat.

Some of the players visited with their families. I spoke briefly with freshman forward Bonnie Samuelson, who said she had enjoyed meeting Jayne Appel, ’10. The 6’4” Jayne, a powerful post player now with the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars, put in some practice time with the team at Stanford to help it prepare for Baylor.

I also had a chance to chat with Gregory Green, father of freshman guard Alex Green, who has missed most of the season with an injury. Associate head coach Amy Tucker had called Alex “probably our shyest freshman” when she made the traditional freshman visit to the Fast Break Club after the Washington game Jan. 21. Her dad – far more outgoing and gregarious –said he’s pleased that Alex is at Stanford, and of course he’s proud of her.

Alumnae return to cheer

Illustrious alum, Candice Wiggins, ’08, was there and gave assistant coach Kate Paye a big hug as the latter left the hotel. Candice plays for the WNBA’s defending champion Minnesota Lynx. She said she’s looking forward to the start of training camp later this month.

Still another alum, Vanessa Nygaard, ’98, stepped into the street to stop traffic as an SUV with several Stanford staff members left the hotel garage. Vanessa is alumni coordinator and assistant coach of the girls varsity basketball team at Winward School in Los Angeles

Also present was Charmin Smith, ’97, who is an assistant coach at Cal after serving in the same capacity at Stanford.

Later, at the game, former assistant coach Bobbie Kelsey, ’96, sat in the Stanford section. She’s now head coach at the University of Wisconsin.

A baby wearing a Stanford cheerleader outfit and fast asleep in her stroller was a center of attention at the hotel. Several fans took pictures of her.

Players’ parents hugged each other as they arrived. A woman wearing a Tennessee T-shirt had her picture taken with Tara and Amy as they were leaving.

The hotel features an elegant central atrium surrounded by balconies on each floor and topped by a gleaming stained glass ceiling. On the main floor is an open dining area where guests were enjoying afternoon tea while being serenaded by a classical violinist.


Stanford banners hung from some of the balconies. Another nice touch – linen hand towels in the women’s restrooms.

Band replaces violinist for sendoff

The high-spirited sendoff began as the band, cheerleaders, Dollies and Tree gathered on and in front of a staircase leading up from the atrium. The violinist took a seat as the band began to play, filling the entire hotel with music. Two smiling little girls danced with the Dollies as people snapped pictures.

During the second song, the musicians began marching around the atrium, and by the third song, the team began to arrive. At that point, the festivities moved outside, where the players assembled in front of the team bus and danced to the band’s tunes.


Little girls waving pompons danced in front of the team and Tree, and soon sophomore guard Toni Kokenis and senior guard Grace Mashore were dancing with the Dollies. Just before playing “All Right Now,” the band and crowd chanted, “Just two more games.”


Then it was time for the team to board the bus and head for the Pepsi Center with a police escort.

Full house at the Pepsi Center

The scene at the Pepsi Center was electric as more than 19,000 people packed it to the rafters while watching the first game, Notre Dame vs. UConn. Fans who had been at the sendoff arrived during that game’s halftime.

Stanford fans were concentrated in two sections just to the right of the TV platform, behind what would be the Stanford bench and across from the Notre Dame sections. Other fans sporting Stanford attire were scattered throughout the arena.

Commentators Trey Wingo, Carolyn Peck and Kara Lawson were joined on the TV platform by Robert Griffin III, Baylor’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, who is awaiting the NFL draft. Several fans got his autograph before an usher shooed others away.

Stanford fans cheered as the fan cam focused on Condoleezza Rice, a Stanford professor and former U.S. secretary of state. Many of them also were cheering for Notre Dame rather than rival UConn.

Although UConn was behind for most of the second half, it edged closer. Regulation time ended in a 67-67 tie, sending the game into a five-minute overtime. That’s when the Irish took over and won 83-75. Before leaving the floor, the jubilant Notre Dame players went into the stands to high-five their green-clad fans in the front rows.

Stanford-Baylor game begins

Then it was time for Baylor and Stanford in its black road uniforms. About five minutes into the game, the Notre Dame team returned and sat in the section that had been occupied by the Irish band just in front of the Stanford sections. They smiled and waved as Stanford fans cheered them.

Later in the half, when Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw left the floor, she walked in front of the Stanford section, smiled and waved as the fans applauded.

During halftime, a ceremony honored the 10 coaches of the USA women’s teams to the Olympics. Among others, they included the current coach, UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Tara (who was in the locker room with the team) and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt. Pat, who announced earlier in the season that she had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, Alzheimer’s-type, received a standing ovation as the crowd chanted “USA, USA.”

Even though Stanford trailed during the second half, it pulled to within 7 points, 50-43, at the 2:51 mark, but Baylor surged ahead. With only a few seconds remaining in her final collegiate game, Nneka went to the bench and hugged the coaches and all of her teammates as the crowd cheered. Another senior, forward Sarah Boothe, scored the team’s final basket as the game ended 59-47.

Afterward, the team gathered at the center circle as Nneka talked to them. Returning to the locker room, the players waved to the crowd.


Those semi-final games were played on a day when Denver basked in a sunny 84 degrees, but winter weather returned the next day. With overcast skies, temperatures were in the 30s, but seemed colder because of the wind. Rain and snow flurries came later in the day.

Championship day

The next morning, April 3, my rental car was covered with about 2 inches of snow. Luckily, the hotel had a scraper to lend.

Although the Pepsi Center wasn’t quite to capacity, it seemed that many more Baylor fans had arrived. A large group of what appeared to be Baylor students occupied the Stanford section next to mine. Apparently, many Stanford fans had either left early or stayed in their hotels to watch the game rather than brave the weather.

Shortly before the game began, Ann Meyers Drysdale, president and general manager of the WNBA’S Phoenix Mercury and a vice president for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, walked up our aisle and said “Yea, Stanford.”

The opening ceremony included the presentation of a giant U.S. flag unfurled by female cadets of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. The academy’s chorale sang the national anthem. When the game began, the cadets sat in the spaces previously occupied by the Stanford and UConn bands.

Fairly early in the game, Baylor sprinted to a comfortable lead that it never relinquished. One difference in its defense is that it didn’t press Notre Dame as much as it had pressed Stanford.

In keeping with its celebration of the 40th anniversary of the passage of Title IX, the NCAA honored eight women who have been instrumental in its beneficial effects on women’s sports. This 1972 law requires equity for boys and girls in every educational program that receives federal funding.

Those honored during the halftime ceremony included Dr. Bernice Sandler, who wrote the law and who is considered the godmother of Title IX. Others included Drysdale and Tamika Catchings, president of the WNBA Players Association (and an Indiana Fever teammate of Jeanette Pohlen, ’11).

Fans began to leave during the game’s final minutes, when there was no doubt about the outcome, which was 80-61 for Baylor. Once the final buzzer sounded, there was a blizzard of green confetti, a safe choice, since both teams have green as their color.
There was no snow outside, though, and as Stanford fans walked back to their cars, several said that their team played a better game against Baylor.

That was the consensus among fans awaiting their flights from Denver to the Bay Area the sunny next day. Now it’s time to wait for next season.

Two wins make for fun in Fresno

It wasn’t easy, but the Stanford women’s basketball team won both of its Fresno regional games and earned a trip to Denver for its fifth consecutive Final Four.

The wins were 76-60 over South Carolina on March 24 and 81-69 over Duke on March 26, both at Save Mart Center on the Cal State Fresno campus.

Because Fresno is relatively close to the Bay Area, many fans drove there. Others opted for the booster bus that made the trip to each game. People wearing Fresno State sweatshirts also flocked to the game. One of them told me he was cheering for Stanford, presumably because it was the only West Coast team still in the NCAA tournament.

Many fans began their pre-game activities with food and refreshments at the Dog House Grill across from the arena. It’s a popular place, so even though the patio was reserved for the fans, they still had to stand in a long line to order their food. Those of us who preferred table service went to nearby Buffalo Wings.

Stanford’s semi-final game against South Carolina was preceded by the Duke-St. John’s contest. Both schools appeared to have a fairly good turnout. Four of the most interested observers were Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer along with associate head coach Amy Tucker and assistant coaches Kate Paye and Trina Patterson.

One by one they left during the second half. Shortly before the end of the game, some Stanford players were cheered as they emerged from their locker room and gathered in the tunnel to watch as Duke won 74-47.

When the entire team ran onto the floor, junior forward Mikaela Ruef and freshman guard Alex Green were among them. Rehabbing from injuries, they had not traveled to Los Angeles for the Pac-12 tournament or to Norfolk for the first two NCAA games.

Fans nerd it up


Inspired by the team’s popular “Nerd City” rap video, which was created by senior forward Nneka Ogwumike and sophomore forward Chiney Ogwumike and which features the team along with other Stanford student athletes, many fans were in nerd attire. One fan waved a “Fear the Tree” sign with “Tree” crossed out and replaced by “Nerd.”

Other nerded-up fans included senior guard Lindy La Rocque’s parents, who wore nerd glasses. Sitting in a section by the tunnel, the Stanford women’s water polo team was in full nerd regalia with suspenders, pig tails, taped glasses and beanies. They switched to more conventional sports attire during halftime, when they were honored as the 2011 national champions. Back in their seats, they reverted to nerd mode.

Other students backing the Cardinal were the band – complete with a drummer using flashy sparkle drumsticks -- the Dollies, cheerleaders and the new female version of the Tree. This time she wore black tights rather than the red fishnet stockings she sported in Norfolk, but she kept the red netting on her costume.

During a timeout close to the end of the first half, she became a part of the cheerleaders’ routine when they hoisted her atop their human pyramid as she shook pompons.

The score was an uncomfortably close 33-30 in the final seconds of that half when junior forward Joslyn Tinkle, catching an inbound pass while standing just in front of the South Carolina bench, heaved a long buzzer beater that raised the score to 36-30. It was the team’s only 3 of the night.

Nneka leads team to victory

The score gradually widened during the second half, ending 76-60. Nneka was the game’s unstoppable heroine, scoring 39 points, more than half of the team’s total. She also had 10 rebounds, and one each in the assist, block and steal columns.

Also in double figures were sophomore guard Toni Kokenis with 12, plus seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Despite playing with a brace on her right knee, which she had bruised in Norfolk, Chiney logged 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, four blocks and two steals. The only bench player to score was freshman forward Bonnie Samuelson, who came in to successfully shoot two free throws for Chiney, who had fallen and gone to the bench. She did return, though.

Two days later, it was time to play Duke. Before going to the arena, the team was treated to a sendoff by the band, cheerleaders, Dollies, Tree, fans and family at the team hotel. Among the fans were the parents of former assistant coach Bobbie Kelsey, who’s now head coach at the University of Wisconsin.

The players and other students were in high spirits as the Tree high-fived some fans and the players borrowed the cheerleaders’ pompons during one song. Just before playing “All Right Now,” the band chanted, “Just three more games.”


When the band plays “All Right Now,” it often weaves in themes from other songs as varied as “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the “Phantom of the Opera” theme and even “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Fittingly, one of the songs this time was “Luck Be a Lady Tonight” from “Guys and Dolls.”

As the team walked toward its bus, Joslyn ran over to hug her dad, Wayne, men’s basketball coach at the University of Montana.

Fans then got into their cars and headed for the arena. Some went to the gathering at the Dog House Grill, where the band played. Others went directly to the arena to wait for tickets that they had bought through Stanford. Once inside, they sought their seats and food. One popular item was ice cream made at Fresno State.

While attendance on the first day was 3,754, it dwindled only slightly to 3,445 – no doubt a testament to the large turnout of Stanford fans.

Some fans had expressed their concerns about playing Duke, but Tara and her staff came up with a solid game plan that put Stanford ahead 40-25 at the half and 81-69 at the final buzzer.

Stanford makes 7 from beyond the arc

Unlike the South Carolina game with its lone 3-pointer, this one had seven, thanks to Joslyn with three, and Toni, freshman guard Amber Orrange, freshman forward Taylor Greenfield and Lindy with one each.

Once again Nneka led her team with 29 points, plus nine rebounds, three assists and a steal. Joslyn and Amber had 13 points each, while Chiney had 12. Chiney led the team in rebounding, snaring 17.

As the game went into its final minutes, Tara gradually cleared the bench, allowing everyone to log some time. By then the crowd was already cheering, even though Duke continued to press and foul. Duke’s last foul sent senior guard Grace Mashore to the free-throw line, where she made both shots, setting off even louder cheering by the crowd and her teammates.

There were hugs and smiles and more hugs all around after the final buzzer, and the players happily donned their regional championship hats and T-shirts.

Next came the trophy presentation and announcement of the all-tournament team, led by Chiney and Nneka, the most valuable player. Then the traditional net-cutting got under way, starting with the freshmen and progressing through the classes and staff. In the meantime, the players hugged the Dollies, Tara gave a thumbs-up to the band, and Joslyn briefly led the band.

The net-cutting ended with Tara. She snipped the final strands, held the net high for all to see, then tossed it to Nneka, who draped it around her neck.

As the players and staff left the floor, Tara carefully carried the trophy.


Then for the fans, it was time to return to their hotels or drive home. The team returned to Palo Alto that night.

Next stop – Denver and Baylor.

Sweet sojourn to Virginia

They may have been 3,000 miles and three time zones away from Stanford, but the women’s basketball team made itself right at home for its first two games in the NCAA tournament. The Cardinal defeated Hampton University 73-51 on March 17 and followed up with a 72-55 win over West Virginia University on March 19.


Thus the Cardinal advanced to the Sweet 16 and earned the right to play the next game (or two) in Fresno, much closer to home.

The Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., drew an announced crowd of 4,258 for the Texas-West Virginia and Stanford-Hampton games on March 17. Many of those in the crowd were cheering for Hampton, which is quite close to ODU.

There was a smattering of Stanford fans along with relatives of players and coaches, including head coach Tara VanDerveer, who has a sister and other relatives nearby; and assistant coach Trina Patterson, who has brothers and others in the area. I also talked to a Stanford grad who lives in the area and recalls seeing strength and conditioning coach Susan King Borchardt, ’05, when she played at Stanford.

The Stanford contingent also included the band, Dollies, cheerleaders and Tree. No doubt the distance, logistics and expense limited the turnout of other fans.

There was a scare early in the first half when sophomore forward Chiney Ogwumike fell awkwardly and limped off the floor to see trainer Marcella Shorty. She spent some time in the locker room, but returned to limited action, logging only 14 minutes of playing time.

The score was 42-27 at halftime. Junior forward Joslyn Tinkle then widened the Stanford lead with two consecutive 3-pointers. With slightly less than 15 minutes to go, the score was 54-32, with Chiney (6 points) and her sister, senior forward Nneka Ogwumike (26), together accounting for as many points as Hampton had scored.

Chiney finished the game with 9 points, while Nneka had a team-high 28, followed by Joslyn with 16, sophomore guard Toni Kokenis with 9 and freshman guard Amber Orrange with 7. The only other player to score was senior forward Sarah Boothe, who chipped in 4 points. Also noteworthy were Amber’s 11 assists and Nneka’s 10 rebounds.

Two days later, the team had a pregame sendoff from its waterfront hotel, where Stanford banners hung in the lobby and stars with the names of the players and staff adorned tiles in front of the entrance.

Some fans, family, the band, cheerleaders and Dollies were there along with a new-look Tree. At first I was a surprised at the red fishnet stockings and red netting like a half-tutu (would that be a tu?) until a longtime fan explained that this was next year’s Tree, a woman. She also said that the very first tree also was a woman. The present Tree, a man, had returned to Stanford to back the men’s team, which was hosting and playing in the NIT.

After a short serenade, the band and players began chanting “Five more games.” Then during “All Right Now,” the seniors – Nneka, Sarah and guards Lindy La Rocque and Grace Mashore – led their teammates to the waiting bus, which got a police escort to the game. The bus was already loaded with their luggage because they were to fly back after the game – finals week was upon them.

With Hampton out, attendance for the March 19 game dropped by more than half to 2,055.

Besides the 72-55 win and advancement to the Fresno regional, the West Virginia game was notable for the Stanford guards’ outstanding contributions. In news stories before the game, much was made of West Virginia’s physical style of play, implying that Stanford’s forwards would get a lot of attention.

Tara and her staff had an answer. Rather than trying to get the ball inside to Nneka, Chiney or another big, it appeared that many plays called for the guards to penetrate and shoot. Consequently, Amber finished with a team-high and career-high 18 points to go with seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and no turnovers.

Toni pitched in with 10 points plus five rebounds, two assists and three steals. Lindy came off the bench to add 4 points, a rebound and an assist. Like Amber, neither had a turnover.

Not to be overlooked, though, the bigs still played their part. Nneka had 16 points, while Chiney had 13, Joslyn 9 and Sarah 2.

As I was strolling along the concourse during the half (when Stanford led 38-21), I heard a woman with a WVU sweatshirt say, “All I see is tall white jerseys,” a testament to the Cardinal’s height advantage.

And as is common when Stanford plays teams from other parts of the country, people came up to Cardinal fans and asked about the Tree’s significance. We also had to explain to some that Cardinal represents the color, not the bird.

Now it’s time to take that color to Fresno and a contest with South Carolina.