A Two GAME Lead

 Go Kiki Go

                  Friday night against CAL Kiki Iriafen had fans yelling "Go Kiki Go."  That refrain was loudest midway through the second quarter with Stanford only up by 10 points.  Kiki grabbed a CAL miss and channeled her "inner point guard" as she dribbled down the court, weaving around CAL players for a layup.  The crowd went wild. That play helped turn what had been a reasonably competitive game into a blow-out. 

 

                  So far this year, Stanford's front court star duo of Brink and Iriafen take turns with whose night it is to shine brightest.  The CAL game was Kiki's turn, as she hit 10 of 13 (77%) of her shots from the floor, including a number of midrange step-backs and pull-ups.  Kiki added three free throws, 11 rebounds, three assists, and a block in her stat-sheet-stuffing 28 minutes on the floor.  What makes that performance even more amazing is that Kiki did all that despite suffering from a nasty spider bite on her arm -- a souvenir from the Washington trip.  Maybe that spider was a Hollywood escapee and, like its pals from the Spiderman movies, capable of passing on superpowers because Iriafen was super!  Despite her minutes being limited due to some early fouls, Brink added 14 points and four blocks.

 

                  Iriafen's star turn against CAL balanced the previous week's performance when Brink scored 43 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and had nine assists, eight blocks, and six steals in the two Washington games. Against the Washington schools Iriafen was limited by foul trouble, especially against Washington, she "only" scored 26 points and pulled down 23 rebounds over the two games.  The incredible combination of Brink and Iriafen is a big part of why Stanford has a two-game lead over the closest competitors in the PAC-12 standings (with only four regular season games remaining). Cameron Brink is an All-American and a legitimate National Player-of-the-Year candidate (although the award will almost certainly go to Catlin Clark).  Cam's play this year has been amazing.  She leads the country in blocks (90), has 14 double-doubles (only one less than Clark), is hitting over 92% of her free throws, knocking down 55% of her shots from the floor (including 30% of her threes), and is averaging roughly 18 points a game. But Kiki is right there with Cam.  The two are both averaging a double-double and trade the titles of team's leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leader in double-doubles back and forth between them.  Even more impressively, they have been racking up these stats while Stanford has been amassing the nation's second highest Net Ranking.  "East Coast bias" is the only possible thing standing between Kiki and being named an All American. 

 

Not Just Kiki and Cam

 

                  As impressive as Cam and Kiki have been, Stanford is a TEAM not just two players.  Fifth-year player Hannah Jump, Stanford's all-time leader in three pointers, has transformed herself from the three-point specialist (and defensive liability) of her freshman season to a three-level scorer and lock-down defender.  Hannah leads the team in minutes played (33.2 per game) because Tara wants her defensive intensity on the floor in any tight game. Point guard Talana Lepolo is among the nation's leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio and is the only other CARD player averaging 30 minutes or more per game.  She often makes incredibly difficult passes look easy -- and routinely has at least one pass a game leaving the TV announcers going "wow." Elena Bosgana who has started every game this year, after only coming off the bench in prior years, declares that she is trying to earn her minutes by her defense.  She also averages 6.7 ppg, 3.8 rebounds, and has 40 assists, 16 steals and four blocks to date this year. 

 

Not Just the Starting Five

                  This year's Stanford team is playing ten deep -- there are ten players all averaging over 10 minutes a game and all playing in virtually every game when they have not been held out due to injury.  Brooke Demetre, despite coming off the bench (except against Oregon State when Cam was out due to injury), has the fifth highest average minutes on the team.  Jzaniya Harriel leads the team in steals (22) and in three-point percentage (46%).  Every one of those ten players has had at least one play (and mostly more than one) that helped secure a victory, starting with Chloe Clardy's steal against Duke.  Courtney Ogden and Nunu Agara are providing valuable minutes off the bench — scoring, rebounding, and going hard. All ten regulars are shooting over 30% from the field, all ten have an assist-to-turnover ratio over 1, and all ten have hit at least one three pointer. Talana is the only player among the regulars who has not blocked at least one shot by an opposing player.  Although the final two players, Lauren Green and Stavi Papadaki, don’t see regular playing time, their positive energy and support for their teammates adds to the teams terrific chemistry.  Cam and Kiki may be the stars of this team, but the supporting cast is pretty special and getting better all the time.  

 

The Nation's Strongest Conference 

 

                  As has been noted over and over, it is bittersweet that the PAC-12, in its final season, is having what is arguably its best season ever.  There are six PAC-12 teams in the nation's top 25.  Five PAC-12 teams were among the top 16 in the NCAA Tournament Committee's first reveal. Perhaps even more impressively, no PAC-12 team -- including the team at the BOTTOM of the conference standings (Oregon at 2-12 conference but 11-16 overall) has more than four losses to teams NOT in the PAC-12.  At the other end, no team - including Stanford with a conference leading 12-2 conference record - has gone undefeated at home.  All the teams except Stanford have at least four conference losses and nationally ranked Utah has five!  

 

                  The PAC-12 Tournament promises to continue to be the dogfight that the Conference season has been.  There will be at least one team, and probably two, ranked in the Top 25 nationally playing on the first day of the Conference tournament!  Given how this season has gone -- it will be hard to describe any outcome as an upset.  Washington, a team near the bottom of the PAC-12 standings, lost in overtime to Stanford, in double overtime to Arizona State, and in TRIPLE overtime to Arizona.  The PAC-12's last hurrah will be quite a show. 

 

Only Two Home Games Left

 

                  There are only two regular season home games left!  That seems impossible.  This has been such a fun team to watch!  Friday night the CARD will take on Arizona at 7 pm.  Sunday's game against Arizona State starts at NOON and will be followed by the traditional Senior Day Celebration -- honoring Hannah Jump and Cameron Brink.  

 

Questions

 

1.  Will Cam stay or go?

 

Our Senior Superstar Cameron Brink is eligible to come back for a COVID year.  For Stanford fans, Cameron's return would be WONDERFUL -- she is such a joy to watch and is such a great team leader.  Of course, a Stanford Master's degree is a great building block for an after-basketball career.  On the other hand, Brink will almost certainly be the number two pick in this year's WNBA draft -- after Catlin Clark.  I don't think there is a wrong choice either way....