After two dead weeks on The Farm, No. 2 Stanford women’s basketball (11-1, 0-0 Pac-12) hosted Tennessee (7-6, 0-0 SEC) Sunday afternoon. The Cardinal clinched victory by their smallest scoring margin this season: 77-70.
This was the fourth-straight win against the Lady Vols for Stanford, marking the longest streak in series history.
Jump ball was won by Stanford, but a missed three-point attempt turned offensive rebound resulted in a turnover on the Cardinal, allowing Tennessee the first points of the game. Early on in the quarter, the lead switched back and forth between teams, but the Cardinal maintained to end the quarter up 20-17.
The second quarter was another tense one for both teams, with the lead never exceeding five points. Both teams were tied at 35 heading into halftime.
Tennessee bounced back in the third quarter, with the Cardinal trailing by eight at various times — the largest margin of the game thus far.
A minor slip-up turned into a great comeback for the Cardinal in the final quarter, as they secured the victory 77-70 after going on a 24-12 run. The Lady Vols had their lowest scoring quarter thanks to the aggression of Cardinal defense. Junior forward Cameron Brink produced four blocks and four defensive rebounds in the period alone. Despite sophomore forward Brooke Demetre’s three personal fouls in the quarter, her steal-turned-assist early in the frame allowed Stanford to repossess its momentous lead to victory.
Brink was stellar across the board with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Her six blocks contribute to a total of 39 blocks this season, putting her average at over three blocks per game.
Senior guard Haley Jones also had a notable performance with 19 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. Senior guard Hannah Jump contributed 19 points of her own, nine of which came from beyond the arc.
The Cardinal’s next opponent is No. 21 Creighton (8-2, 2-1 Big East). The Bluejays lost to then-No. 21 Arkansas on Saturday, and Stanford will be their fifth ranked matchup this season.
With both teams ranked in the top 25, this will be a highly anticipated game. Stanford has a height advantage on the Creighton lineup, whose tallest players are is 6-foot-1, so the Cardinal will benefit from using the height of their roster to block shots and create defensive pressure with their length.
Tip-off is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT at Maples Pavilion.