Stanford Can’t Stay on Top, Fall to Texas

Stanford did not lead for the majority of the game…they were down by 10 at one point…Amber Orrange kept Stanford in it with some clutch shooting near the end…the game went into overtime…no, dear reader, you are not suffering deja vu nor is this a late write up of the UConn-Stanford game. This was the Texas-Stanford game, and it had a different ending, too.

So four days ago, the Stanford Women’s Basketball team executed a well thought out and rehearsed game plan, and knocked off then #1 UConn, winner of last year’s championship. Four days later, Stanford accidently found itself ranked #1 by the coach’s poll and yet the team looked like they were suffering an emotional hangover on the floor. No energy, not much emotion when things were going well, which, granted, wasn’t often (So here's a picture of Lili showing mucho emotion).

Stanford guard Lili Thompson celebrates after getting fouled. (BECK DIEFENBACH — AP Photo)

Even when Texas tied the game with 1.4 seconds left Stanford didn’t attempt a shot. Which is strange because, remember the UConn game when Amber Orrange tied the game with 1.4 seconds left? Stanford’s three point specialist Karlie Samuelson (KSam) got the ball with 1.4 seconds left and dribbled about ¼ of the way up the court and didn’t even attempt a shot. You’re the 3-point stud, maybe they even foul you, at least take a chance!

As C and R mentioned, the game went into overtime tied at 75 (And Stanford only got the lead with about 1:43 left). And C and R are thinking, Stanford must be telling each other in the huddle… Overtime is our time, we know how to do this, we beat UConn in overtime, no problem, we got this. But instead they just looked tired. They got behind and had to play the foul game and ended up losing 87-81.

To be fair, several players were nursing injuries, Taylor Greenfield and Ksam were limping at several points throughout the game, and Lili Thompson hit the floor numerous times, in this and the UConn game.

However two things stick out. Texas must have seen the UConn game film on Stanford’s screens to free the guards and were all over it. Stanford had a very hard time penetrating the paint like they could against UConn. Once that did not work, Stanford didn’t seem to have too many options. And Texas had height and boxed out well. Hard to get rebounds.

And the second thing is with no real post presence for Stanford, Texas could drive all day and not get stopped. They executed their own pick and roll and both Stanford players stayed on the ball handler, letting the tall screener roll to the basket unimpeded. When the ball was passed to the tall screener, a third Stanford defender would rotate over, not in time to stop the shot, but just in time to foul. Texas successful did it twice in 45 seconds, they were so sure it could not be stopped. That and stopping drives must be addressed.

Okay, Game Balls:
Lili Thompson had 28 points and seven rebounds. Third straight 20+ game. Brianna Roberson made eight free throws for a career-high eight points while filling in for Orrange, who got in foul trouble early in the first half, and fouled out in overtime. Amber did score 15, and as we mentioned, always at key times when Stanford really needed a basket. Freshie Kailee Johnson again rebounded well, pulling down 13 against bigger players and added seven points.

Yes, Stanford's own home streak ended, but did you know in their last 113 games at Maples, Stanford is 110-3?

Well, don’t feel to bad for Stanford. They travel to New Mexico before heading to HAWAII for the Rainbow Wahine Shootout Thanksgiving Tournament.

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