No. 3 Cardinal women survive late scare from USC in 50-47 win

Southern California guard Kayla Williams, left, tries to drive to the basket while defended by Stanford guard Indya Nivar during the first half at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Fri Feb 17, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Friday, February 17, 2023

No. 3 Stanford held off a late challenge from visiting Southern California Friday, as the Cardinal emerged with a 50-47 Pac-12 women’s basketball win over the No. 25 Trojans at Maples Pavilion.

Cameron Brink paced the Cardinal (25-3 overall, 13-2 Pac-12) with 12 points, ten rebounds and six blocked shots, Indya Nivar and Kiki Iriafen each scored nine points, and Haley Jones had eight points, ten rebounds and five assists.

USC (19-7 overall, 9-6 Pac-12) was led by Destiny Littleton with 15 points, followed by Okako Adika with 13 points and nine rebounds. Clarice Akunwafo finished with 12 rebounds.

Stanford led by one point after the first quarter and built a 32-26 halftime lead. The Cardinal led 40-29 at 7:55 of the third quarter on Hannah Jump’s 3-pointer. After Brink hit a pair of free throws at 8:05 of the fourth, the Trojans went on an 10-2 run capped by Okako Adika’s two free throws at 2:42, and her 20-foot jumper pulled USC to within 48-45 with 1:43 remaining.

Brink’s layup at 1:09 of the fourth quarter put the Cardinal up 50-45. Stanford’s Talana Lepolo committed a shooting foul with 37 seconds left, sending Littleton to the line. Littleton made both free throws, cutting the Stanford lead to 50-47.

USC had one more possession with three seconds remaining. Littleton missed a 23-foot 3-point attempt with one second left, and Nivar grabbed the defensive rebound to secure the win.

Attendance for this Top 25 matchup was 6,343. The Cardinal host UCLA on Monday.

Stanford Cardinal podcast with Daniel Dullum: Cardinal try to come away from road trip with a win at USC Saturday

UCLA Bruins guard Jaylen Clark (0) spends a little hang time on the rim after throwing down against the Stanford Cardinal at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles on Thu Feb 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Stanford Cardinal podcast with Daniel:

#1 Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a game-high 26 points for the UCLA Bruins (23-4) Thursday, as the No. 4 Bruins overcame a halftime deficit and defeated the Stanford Cardinal (11-16) 73-64 in Pac-12 men’s basketball at Pauley Pavilion.

#2 Earlier this season, the Bruins defeated Stanford 80-66. It was UCLA’s fifth straight win.

#3 Jaquez also grabbed nine rebounds and had three assists. Jaylen Clark was next for the Bruins with 16 points, three steals and six boards. 

#4 The Bruins surged ahead with an 16-4 run to open the second half, but Stanford responded with a 14-2 run to regain the lead at 50-45.

#5 Stanford prepares for USC (19-8) on Saturday night another tough customer coming off the tough loss to UCLA how much of a push will the Cardinal need to get past USC tomorrow night?

Join Daniel for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

No. 4 Bruins hold off stubborn Stanford 73-64

Stanford forward Harrison Ingram dunks next to UCLA guard Jaylen Clark, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Los Angeles. UCLA won 73-64. (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Thursday, February 12, 2023

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a game-high 26 points for UCLA Thursday, as the No. 4 Bruins overcame a halftime deficit and defeated Stanford 73-64 in Pac-12 men’s basketball at Pauley Pavilion.

Earlier this season, the Bruins defeated Stanford 80-66. It was UCLA’s fifth straight win.

Jaquez also grabbed nine rebounds and had three assists. Jaylen Clark was next for the Bruins with 16 points, three steals and six boards. Adem Bona and David Singleton each added eight points for UCLA (22-4 overall, 13-2 Pac-12).

Michael Jones led the Cardinal (11-15 overall, 5-10 Pac-12) with 15 points, followed by Harrison Ingram with 13 points and Maxime Raynaud with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Michael O’Connell had five assists, four rebounds and two steals, and Ingram finished with six rebounds and five assists.

Spencer Jones, the Cardinal’s top scorer at 13.7 points per game, was held to six.

Stanford hit six of their first seven shots to start the game. UCLA took its first lead at 16-15 at 11:35 of the first half, but the Cardinal responded with a 9-0 run and led 31-27 at halftime.

The Bruins surged ahead with an 16-4 run to open the second half, but Stanford responded with a 14-2 run to regain the lead at 50-45. A dunk by Clark put UCLA ahead to stay at 58-57, but after a three-minute scoring drought, ingram hit a jumper to make it a one-point game with 4:59 remaining,

Will McClendon hit a 3-pointer with 3:39 remaining, extending the Bruins’ lead to 63-59. A parade to the free throw line, sinking eight foul shots, allowed the Bruins to build their permanent lead.

Stanford travels to Southern California on Saturday.

Stanford Cardinal WBB podcast with Michael Roberson: Cardinal two road wins get them back in #3 spot in AP Poll

Stanford Cardinal center Lauren Betts (51) had her best game going 12-15 from the field against Arizona State Sun Devils on Sun Feb 12, 2023 in Tempe AZ (photo by Stanford Cardinal)

On the Stanford Cardinal WBB podcast with Michael:

#1 The Stanford Cardinal WBB (24-3) are coming off a two game road sweep over the Arizona Wildcats (19-6) on Thursday and the Arizona State Sun Devils (7-16) on Sunday and both were convincing wins.

#2 The Cardinal occupied the #6 spot on the AP Poll but moved up to #3 after the last two road wins. They did at one time occupy #2 on the poll.

#3 South Carolina is #1 in the poll and has held that spot for 37 straight weeks tying UConn’s record for third place for the longest #1 spot held in the AP Poll list.

#4 The Cardinal have not lost often but have lost to USC and Washington in their last two defeats in Pac 12 play. That really speaks to the success of head coach Tara VanDerveer and the job she’s done with this team this season.

#5 Michael speaking of coach VanDerveer, she and the Cardinal get another run against the USC Trojans at Maple Pavilion this Friday night. The Cardinal badly want this game after losing to the Trojans in Los Angeles their last meeting.

Join Michael Roberson for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

No. 6 Cardinal women cruise past struggling ASU 96-64

Stanford Cardinal had lots to celebrate after defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe on Sun Feb 11, 2023 (photo from gostanford.com)

By Daniel Dullum
Sunday, February 12, 2023

No. 6 Stanford completed a women’s basketball sweep of its Arizona road swing on Sunday, as the Cardinal routed Arizona State 96-64 before an announced crowd of 1,759 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, Ariz.

Reserve Agnes Enna-Nnopu led the Cardinal (24-3 overall, 12-2 Pac-12) with 18 points, as Stanford’s bench outscored injury-depleted ASU’s 52-14. Lauren Betts also had 13 points in 16 minutes and Francesca Belibi scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds as every Cardinal reserve saw action.

As for the Stanford starters, Cameron Brink scored 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting, along with eight rebounds, three assists and one block in 12 minutes. Hannah Jump and Kiki Iriafen each scored 12 points. Talana Lepolo had four assists, and Haley Jones had five assists, five rebounds and four blocks in 21 minutes.

Stanford held a 58-35 rebounding advantage, and scored 38 points in the paint, 20 points off of 12 ASU turnovers, and 24 fast break points.

Tyi Skinner played all 40 minutes and scored a game-high 21 points to go with four steals and five assists to lead the Sun Devils (7-16 overall, 0-12 Pac-12). Jadden Simmons scored 13 points, and Isadora Sousa, Treasure Hunt and Meg Newman each had five rebounds. The Sun Devils used only eight players.

Stanford never trailed in the game, leading 29-13 after one quarter and 54-23 at halftime. The Cardinal’s biggest lead was 42 points at 3:47 of the third quarter.

Next weekend, the Cardinal return home to host USC on Friday and UCLA on Monday.

Stanford Tames and Infects #4 Arizona with Cat Scratch Fever 88-79

Stanford guard Michael O’Connell (5) celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half against the Arizona Wildcats at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Sat Feb 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — Michael O’Connel’s career-high 22 points helped his Stanford Cardinal (11-14, 5-9 Pac-12) upset and brake the #4 Arizona Wildcats (22-4, 11-43 Pac-12) inside a crowded Maples Pavilion, 88-79.

Stanford took charge after the opening tip-off and led for the first six minutes of the game. However, the desert cats of Arizona clawed their way back to take the lead

Both teams battled the rest of the half, with Stanford orchestrating a 7-0 run and 5-point lead, while Arizona put on a 13-0 run and garnered a 9-point advantage.

After 20 minutes of action, the Wildcats were in front by three, 44-41.

The Cardinal had no player in double-figures, but Maxime Raynaud scored nine. Arizona’s top baller was senior guard Courtney Ramey (14) with four 3’s made.

Part 2 of the contest demonstrated more of a conference scuffle, as both teams exchanged leads, but the Cardinal really took charge at the 3:28 mark, establishing a 10-point lead.

Although scoreless in the first half, Cardinal senior forward Spencer Jones contributed an impressive 18 points in the second stanza.

The Farm Faithful energized the home team to perform a 10-0 run and lead by as much as 11 points and they finished off the felines from the Grand Canyon State by nine, 88-79.

Stanford’s entire starting lineup was in double-figures: Michael O’Connell (22) Spencer Jones (18) and six rebounds Brandon Angel (14) Maxime Raynaud (13) and five rebounds Harrison Ingram (12), nine rebounds and seven assists Arizona produced four double-digit scorers: Courtney Ramey (26) on eight treys, six rebounds and five assists. Cedric Henderson Jr. (12), Pelle Larsson (12) and Kerr Krisa (10).

The Cardinal travel downstate to take on the UCLA Bruins Thursday, February 16 at Pauley Pavilion, while Arizona heads back to Tucson to host the Utah Utes on the same date.

Spencer Jones has his Kansas City Chiefs winning SB LVII.

Stanford Scorched by Arizona State on the Farm, 69-65

The Stanford Cardinal go into a huddle as the Arizona State Sun Devils stay ahead of them at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto in Thu Feb 9, 2023 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (10-14, 4-9 Pac-12) could not bear the HEAT of the Arizona State Sun Devils (16-9, 7-7 Pac-12) and were uprooted at Maples Pavilion, 69-65.

The Cardinal was in front for nearly 16 of the 20-minute first half, on a 7-0 run and a 10-point advantage,

However, the Sun Devils kept pecking away, then took the lead at the 4:10 mark, and again two minutes later. Their streak was 9-0 and managed to briefly take a 5-point lead, but Stanford erased that deficit by the halftime horn with a 5-0 run. At the midway point, 33-33.

Each team had one player with 10 points. Stanford junior forward Brandon Angel and ASU’s junior guard DJ Horne accomplished the feat.

Stanford kept that momentum going into the second half with nine consecutive more and eventually increased the margin to 13 the first three and a half minutes of the stanza.

Arizona kept the contest competitive by knocking the lead down to single digits and continued to battle the home squad. Stanford was able to hold on to the lead late in the game until Horne drilled a Three (1:50), giving Arizona a two point gap (67-65), and completed a 15-point turnaround in the second half.

During that stretch of time, the Cardinal were scoreless for just over four minutes. Horne sealed the game with two free throws with 8 seconds left in the game; as the final buzzer sounded, the visitors were unruly hot guests and left the court with a 4-point comeback victory, 69-65.

The Cardinal had three players in double-figures: Spencer Jones led the team with 17 points on 5 3-pointers, Brandon Angel (13), and Harrison Ingram (12), 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

The Sun Devils presented four hoopers with double-digits: DJ Horne led all players with 18 points, sophomore guard and Sacramento native, Frankie Collins (15), and the senior Cambridge Brothers, Desmond Jr. (13) and Devan (10) & 10 rebounds.

Stanford will host #4 Arizona State Saturday February 11, while Arizona travels across the Bay to take on California on the same date.

No. 6 Cardinal women rout No. 14 Arizona 84-60

Arizona guard Lauren Fields, left, ties up Stanford forward Cameron Brink (22) during the first quarter at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Thu Feb 9, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Thursday, February 9, 2023

Cameron Brink and Hayley Jones each scored 18 points for Stanford Thursday, as the No. 6 Cardinal bounced back from last Sunday’s loss at Washington to rout No. 17 Arizona 84-60 in Pac-12 women’s basketball at McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz.

It was the Cardinal’s sixth consecutive win over U of A (18-6 overall, 8-5 Pac-12), a streak that includes the 2021 NCAA championship contest. Stanford (23-3 overall, 11-2 Pac-12) moved into first place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of No. 7 Utah.

Jones hit 8 of 11 field goal attempts while pulling down 12 rebounds and dishing out six assists. Brink, playing 21 minutes, had eight rebounds, one block and one steal as the Cardinal outrebounded Arizona 45-27. Lauren Betts added 12 points and Talana Lepolo had four assists.

Paris Clark, Esmery Martinez and Cate Reese each scored 10 points to lead the Wildcats, who were coming off their first road sweep of UCLA and USC since 2002. Martinez had six rebounds and Clark had four assists.

Arizona shot 35.8 percent from the field, and the defeat was the program’s most lopsided loss since Kansas beat them by 27 in December. Stanford, meanwhile, scored 50 of its points in the paint.

Stanford led 38-27 at halftime, outscored the Wildcats 24-10 in the third quarter. Hannah Jump’s 3-pointer gave the Cardinal a 21-point lead midway through the period. The Cardinal led by as many as 37 in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinal concludes their four-game road trip in Tempe, visiting Arizona State on Sunday afternoon.

Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca: Cal trying to prevent their 22nd loss tonight against Arizona; Team reportedly flying commercial not charter

Cal Bears guard Joel Brown shoes in hand heads for the tarmac and boards a plane at Salt Lake City after playing the Utah Utes on Sun Feb 5, 2023 (@CalMBBall photo)

On Cal Bears podcast with Michael Duca:

#1 Sitting on 19 losses and inevitably headed toward an undesired historical 20th loss, the Cal Bears started Sunday needing to fess up to one fair conclusion. Is a big part of the reason Cal is not focusing is because they’ve been flying commercial rather charter as reported?

#2 Cal Bears currently not talented enough to compete in the Pac 12 with or without injuries, with or without USC and UCLA or any number of other considerations.

#3 It’s not a good look, and a trip to Utah’s Huntsman Center certainly didn’t change that. The Bears fared no better in a dreary 61-46 loss to the Utes that leaves them as the only program to suffer three consecutive 20-loss seasons in Pac-12 history.

#4 Cal trailed at halftime and then went the first six-plus minutes of the second half without a made basket. That allowed the hosts to extend their lead to as many as 20 points and cruise in beating the Bears for a fifth, consecutive time dating back to 2021.

#5 Cal (3-20, 2-10) fell to 0-8 in true road games and are fortunate to have their next two games at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley with Arizona up first on Thursday evening.

Join Michael Duca for the Cal Bears basketball podcasts Thursdays and Morris Phillips does all game recaps at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal basketball podcast with Michael Roberson: Women shocked by loss at Washington and Men’s 5 game win streak ended last Sunday

Colorado guard KJ Simpson, left, drives the lane as Stanford forward Harrison Ingram defends in the second half at Ball Arena in Denver on Sun Feb 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Stanford Cardinal basketball podcast with Michael:

#1  Elle Ladine of the Washington Huskies (13-9) scored 21 points on the Stanford Cardinal (22-3) at Alaskan Airlines Arena in Seattle on Sunday where the Cougars handed the Cardinal their third loss of the season after Stanford had won five games a in row.

#2 Dalayah Daniels capitalized on Stanford’s foul trouble scoring two free throws with just eight seconds left in the game as the Huskies came away with a five point win and were the third team in NCAA play to defeat the Cardinal this season.

#3 Stanford head coach Tara Vanderveer pretty much summed up the contest in her comments to the media afterwards:  “We didn’t play well offensively, we didn’t play well defensively, and we didn’t rebound. So that’s pretty hard to win games when you’re really not getting it done in any of those three things.”

#4 After carrying a five game win streak the Stanford Cardinal men’s team (10-14) headed to Colorado last Sunday to have their streak broken by the Buffaloes (15-11) 84-62. The Buffaloes Tristan de Silva led with 25 points and it was Colorado’s fourth win in their last ten games.

#5 The Cardinal men host the Arizona State University Sun Devils (16-8) this Thursday night at Maples Pavilion the Sun Devils have lost five of their last six games and hope having home floor Thursday night will give them some advantage the tip off is 7:00pm.

Join Michael Roberson for Stanford Cardinal podcasts Wednesday nights at http://www.sportsradioservice.com