What a strange night against Arizona! The most amazing thing C and R saw happened during a dead ball, and the piece of news that got C and R and Maples all excited didn’t happen on the court at all. And despite leading most of the game, C couldn’t shake the feeling Arizona wouldn’t go quietly.
First, the tip, which Jayne lost. Okay, okay, this time she lost it legitimately. She was jumping against 6-foot-7 Beatrice Bofia. She stood over Jayne by four inches and she out jumped her buy 8. But Jayne stole the ball seconds later.
Stanford seemed to be running a new offense, instead of their usual hold it, hold it, then guard comes around the center at the three point line and the shot clock is winding down. C and R were at first were glad to see this, but the offense involved quick, long passes around the perimeter and some over the key, which got stolen. And when the quick, long passes finally freed up a player, they were hesitant to shoot. At one point Jayne sealed off the lane as Jill was driving in, and she had an easy path to the basket, and she pulled up and threw it way the heck back…out of bounds? Say what?
Okay, and this is the team ranked second in the country? You know C and R are the utter in die-hard fans, but even we can’t believe the number two ranking. Tennessee is barely hanging around in the top twenty and they beat us early in the season, and R says she would still put her money on Tennessee. We are still scratching our heads at that ranking, and tonight they sure don’t look like a number two team. Hesitant, unsure, afraid to shoot, and letting a second-to-last in-the-PAC-10 Arizona team stay with them does not look like a championship caliber team.
Kayla is the only one unafraid to shoot and she scores the first 6 Stanford points. Then she gets two quick fouls and we don’t see here for most of the first half. C and R did notice that her first sub in was Lindy, not Ros. Lindy hits a three and T-Shirt guy hits the same people, all ten of them, all night.
On a bright note, Lindy is all over the court. She stops an Arizona fast break, she chases a long rebound, she guards the guard and forces them to inbounds to their second choice. The rest of Stanford look tight and nervous, knowing this game and the next are must wins.
We notice Necka is getting beat up and she goes down early in the half. She is now limping. Boothe looks nervous again and makes a key defensive mistake to let Arizona take the lead. She gets yanked. Finally we get to see Kayla come back in, after watching Necka limp around. And Jayne looks hesitant to take it inside.
We did love the totally useless talent video done by Tara, which was making fun of Bobby and Kate’s shoot out. Tara sells it by being so dead-pan. C and R was surprised she participated because she hates when the players look up at the video screen during time outs. But no, that is not the aforementioned awesome thing we saw during a dead ball moment.
Late in the first half, Jeanette steals the ball and starts the fast break. She has Necka out in front. Jeanette gives an alley-oop pass in the air, I’m-talkin’-in-the-air-men’s-height, and Necka jumps and shoots all in one motion. It wasn’t quite a dunk but impressive all the same.
It is only 35-29 Stanford at the half, and then the news that got C and R and Maples all excited, they announce the half-time score of the Cal-Arizona State game: 29-18 Arizona State.
The second half starts back at Maples, and Kayla shoot the ball and it gets stuck between the rim and the backboard. Dead ball. The ref looks around for another ball to knock it out. None is forthcoming. C actually yells, send Necka in, and as if Tara and the Stanford bench are attuned to her voice (or so C likes to delusional think), Necka jumps off the bench and trots on to the court. Then she stops and looks at Tara, because she didn’t say "Simon says". Tara says okay, and even though Necka is injured and limping, she jumps and hits the ball ten feet in the air. Her hand was an inch or two away from the rim, so yes, now C thinks Necka can dunk! It was pretty amazing.
A word or two about Jayne. She also is limping and looks hurt. Not a good sign. She is not even jumping for rebounds, and we see looks of pain on her face as she moves down court. She does block one shot to set the Stanford mark with 202, passing Val Whiting. We wonder about the strength of her knee.
With five minutes left, and Stanford up by 10, 65-55, R is sure Stanford has this but C is not so sure. Arizona looks fit, confident and healthy and we are limping and unsure. For the next three minutes, Stanford doesn’t score a basket and Arizona hits a three to make the score 65-62. This is especially distressing to R as C keeps hitting her with increasing intensity the closer Arizona gets to our score. When Arizona hits a lay-up to make it 65-64 with two minutes left, R has bruises forming.
Jill takes a long three, a little out of her range, but Jayne saves the day by getting the rebound and muscling it back in with out her feet leaving the floor. Stanford is now up 67-64 with 50 seconds left. Arizona shoots, misses, and Janette grabs the rebound and is fouled. We are shooting on and one.
Jeanette steps up to the line and misses. THIS-AIN’T-HIGH-SCHOOL…C pounds on R’s knee.
Arizona tries to take it inside and Kayla blocks the shot and grabs the rebound, and Arizona fouls her with 16 seconds left. Jayne hugs Kayla as she is walking to the free throw line. Glad to see Jayne acknowledging Kayla stepping up the last few games. She hits the first but misses, but C is so involved with the action she forgets to hit R. We are up 68-64. Arizona throws up a crazy three and it goes in with five seconds left, score 68-67 Stanford. R holds her hands out and moves her legs out of reach. Stanford inbounds the ball to Pohlen and they mug her. This time Pohlen hits both free throws, much to R’s relief, yet Arizona still has time to bring the ball up and shoot a three pointer, which would tie the game. It missed. Stanford wins 70-67.
Only a few red balls of victory are thrown out, as if Stanford is realizes they don’t deserve that win. C and R go away empty handed.
We find out Cal lost 63-41! We can breathe easier, because now it is not a must win for Stanford Saturday on Senior Day.
Come see Jillian Harmon honored and last Maples home game.
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