Stanford women’s basketball (12-12, 4-9 ACC) secured a 79-58 blowout win over Syracuse (10-14, 4-9 ACC) on Thursday night, fueled by a balanced offensive performance that saw five players reach double figures. The Cardinal built a sizable lead early and never trailed, snapping the Orange’s two-game winning streak.  

Senior forward Brooke Demetre snapped out of her shooting funk with 14 points, hitting three of the team’s seven first-half three-pointers. Junior guard Tess Heal added 17 points as well, while sophomore guard Chloe Clardy had 14 points, sophomore forward Mary Ashley Stevenson had 12 and senior guard Elena Bosgana’s game-high 18 points rounded out the double-digit scorers.  

Stanford opened the game with an offensive burst, knocking down five three-pointers in the first quarter to jump ahead 27-13. Demetre, who had struggled in the previous game against Louisville shooting 1-9 en route to only two points, bounced back by scoring 11 first-quarter points.  

Bosgana, coming off a 14-point performance, made her presence felt early. The senior guard attacked the paint for three layups in the opening period and finished the first quarter with nine points.  

Syracuse struggled to match Stanford’s offensive pace early, missing its first six shots from the field and shooting just 29% in the first half. The Orange’s leading scorer over the past three games, Sophie Burrows, was held to just two first-half point, shooting 1-for-6.  

The pace slowed in the second quarter, but the Cardinal maintained their grip on the game largely due to capitalizing on Syracuse’s mistakes. The Orange turned the ball over seven times in the first half, leading to 14 points for Stanford off turnovers. Clardy, who continues to excel as the team’s primary facilitator, registered eight first-half assists to go along with nine points.

“I came in focused on defense, defense, defense,” Clardy said. “So just getting back to that, and then also doing whatever my team needs me to do on the offensive end as well. When one person does it, we all do it. So just having that intensity on both ends of the court.”  

The Cardinal’s efficiency from deep played a key role in extending their lead, as they hit seven of 15 from three-point range in the first half. The Orange, however, converted just three of 13 from beyond the arc. At halftime, Stanford led 41-26, having held the lead for over 18 minutes of play.  

Syracuse briefly threatened in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 11 points after a three-pointer. But Stanford answered quickly, with Heal knocking down a deep shot on the ensuing possession to push the lead back to 14.  

Bosgana and Clardy continued their strong shooting performances, each knocking down a three-pointer in the quarter. Stevenson provided a spark inside, scoring six points in the frame, including a layup that gave the Cardinal their largest lead at 60-42. Two quick layups from Syracuse in the closing minute of the third quarter trimmed Stanford’s advantage to 60-46 heading into the final period.  

Stanford put the game out of reach with a dominant fourth quarter, surrendering only a dozen points to the Syracuse offense. Syracuse never got closer than 14 points in the final frame, struggling to find consistent scoring outside of Woolley, who finished with a team-high 18 points. 

By the final buzzer, the Cardinal had assisted on 20 of their 30 made field goals, showcasing their crisp ball movement against Syracuse’s defense. Along with her 14 points, Demetre grabbed nine rebounds, while Bosgana added three assists and 11 boards. Clardy dished the ball effectively all night as she totaled a season-high 12 assists.

“I can’t say enough about Chloe Clardy and the job that she did at point guard,” head coach Kate Paye said. “A double double with 14 points and 12 assists and zero turnovers. I mean, it’s just awesome. Playing point guard at Stanford is not easy.”

The victory marks Stanford’s fourth ACC win of the season as the team continues its push for postseason positioning.

“We know we have not had as many wins as we’d like to up until this point,” Paye said. “We know the situation that we are in. We know we’re fighting for an opportunity to play in the ACC tournament. But more importantly, we take a lot of pride in the way that we play, playing hard and playing smart.”  

The Cardinal will look to build on the momentum when they host Boston College (13-14, 4-10 ACC) on Sunday. The Eagles are coming off a 63-72 loss to Cal. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. at Maples Pavillion.