SEVEN and 0!!!

Back in the Conversation

 

            When the 7-0 Stanford Women's Basketball team takes the floor against Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Las Vegas on Friday, the starting lineup will almost certainly include the newly minted ACC Player-of-the-Week, Nunu Agara.  This honor was clearly deserved.  Despite battling a cold, Nunu scored 40 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in Stanford's two games.  Against UC Davis Nunu was Stanford's leading scorer (16) and leading rebounder (16).  Against Lehigh Nunu's 24 points led all scorers, and she was prefect from the floor and the charity stripe!  For the week Agara shot 75% from the floor and over 90% at the free throw line!  Those are gaudy stats!  Of course, the entire team recorded an impressive stat line -- especially against Lehigh where the Cardinal shot 66.7 % from the floor, including 53.8 % from three while hitting 100% of their 15 free throws!  

 

            What is, perhaps, the most exciting aspect of Agara's earning Stanford's first ACC Player-of-the-Week honor is that it suggests that Stanford is beginning to be "back in the conversation." The consequence of Stanford's disappointing season last year was that, despite having the 3rd ranked recruiting class in the country and returning a strong collection of experienced upperclassmen, Stanford was not ranked in any of the preseason polls. The CARD was also predicted to finish 6th in the ACC by the ACC coaches' poll. Stanford is still not nationally ranked, although they are at the top of the "others receiving votes" list in the newest AP Poll. Despite being undefeated the CARD is not mentioned at all in the National Coaches Poll. What is missing from Stanford's current resume is a "signature win." The Cardinal's 55-point blow-out win over Lehigh comes close, but it wasn't against a ranked team.  Stanford's first chance for a statement win will come against Tennessee on Dec. 3.  That game at Maples has a 6:15 tip-off. Be there!

 

The Good and The Better

 

            For Stanford a game against UC Davis is almost like practice -- only better.  Both teams run basically the same offense - the UC Davis coaches taught it to Stanford!  Playing Davis gave Stanford's freshmen a chance to learn Stanford's offense in a new way -- by playing against it!  The biggest difference is that Stanford has the better athletes. The game was never close.  Stanford had a seven-point lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back. The CARD had a bit of a lapse in the fourth quarter, only out scoring Davis by two points.  However, that was also the quarter when Coach Kate emptied the bench.  Freshman standout Lara Somfai joined Agara in recording a double-double (14pts, 12 rebounds).  Unfortunately, after hitting her first two three-pointers, Lara appeared to have fallen-in-love with distances shots and put up five additional threes without success.  Chloe Clardy continued her impressive play, scoring in double figures yet again. Clardy is averaging over 12 points a game. Just as impressive, in seven games Chloe has 21 assists, 13 steals, and two blocks against only 6 turnovers! Davis had come into Palo Alto as a hot shooting club -- but the Cardinal held them to below 25% on field goals and three-pointers.

 

            Stanford's biggest margin of victory thus far came in the game against Lehigh, an East Coast school the CARD had never played before.  It was basically a rout.  Stanford scored 98 points while holding Lehigh to 43! Five Cardinals scored in double figures including freshman Carly Amborn with 10 points in seven minutes!  Amborn, who reminds some longtime fans of Kate Starbird, continued to be perfect!  She has scored 21 points in 17 minutes of play -- hitting 5 of 5 from three and six of six from the free throw line! In general, the play of the freshmen was extremely encouraging.  Hailee Swain and Lara Somfai both scored in double figures on highly efficient 6 of 8 shooting.  Unlike some earlier games where it appeared that only their significant talent got them past not knowing the offense, against Lehigh these freshmen executed offense smoothly!  Needless to say, Stanford's defense was impressive against Lehigh, holding them to just over 30% shooting overall and just under 20% from three. 

 

Questions:

1.  How will Stanford do on a neutral court?

The two games with the lowest margins of victory were Stanford's two away games.  Gonzaga is a notoriously difficult arena for visiting teams and, not surprisingly, the freshmen struggled a bit.  How will the team do in a truly neutral arena?  Will the freshmen continue to display comfort in the Stanford offense or will it become a bit harder.  These are two games the CARD should win -- let's hope they do.