On Friday, No. 2 Stanford women’s basketball fell to No. 3 NC State in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament by a final score of 77-67. NC State guard Aziaha James led the way for the Wolfpack with 29 points and five assists while guard Saniya Rivers (13 points & 7 rebounds) and guard Zoe Brooks (12 points) also scored in double figures. Stanford forward Kiki Iriafen was the top performer for the Cardinal with 26 points and 10 rebounds while forward Cameron Brink (13 points, 9 rebounds, & 7 blocks) and guard Hannah Jump (13 points) also scored in double figures.
BOX SCORE: Stanford vs. NC State-Friday, March 29th
VIDEO: Stanford WBB Postgame Press Conference | NC State
“Well, it’s been an honor to be able to come to Portland and play in this Sweet Sixteen,” Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said after the game. “I thought we lost to a team that really had a great second half. I thought we played a very good first half, but compliment NC State and how hard they played and the things that they did in the second half.
“I am exceedingly proud of the three women to my right. Starting in the far right, Hannah Jump. We would not be here without Hannah. She had a fabulous grad year and on top of being an incredible shooter, her defense. She never had to come out of the game. Her conditioning. Just how much she has improved, I’m really proud of you, Hannah and I have loved being your coach.
“For Kiki, I don’t know that there’s anyone that has improved more than Kiki. You are a warrior out there every game and today again, Kiki. Just really battled and stayed with it the whole 40 minutes. Just kind of where Kiki was last year at this time compared to where she is now is something that is incredible and I give you just a lot of credit for your hard work and your leadership.
“It’s really sad that Cam, this is her last game. I know she wanted to do so well in Portland being from Portland and got us off to a really good start. Last couple games we’ve struggled in our first half and she really got us going. Cam is a phenomenal player, a phenomenal person, and I’m really sad that this is her last game in a Stanford uniform.
“But for our whole team I think we have a lot of young players that really I think would learn a lot from this experience and I don’t think anyone on our staff or our team has to hang their head. We’ve had a great year and I’m really proud of everyone.”
The 1st quarter was tight as Stanford led 12-11 at the end of the quarter. Hannah Jump was up to six points for the Cardinal on 2-5 shooting from 3-point range. She was in a nice flow. As for NC State, Zoe Brooks and center River Baldwin each had four points.
In the 2nd quarter, Stanford outscored NC State 25-16 to lead 37-27 at halftime. Jump was up to 10 points while Brink was starting to get rolling with nine points, eight rebounds, and five blocks. She was on pace for a triple double. As for NC State, Rivers was leading the way with seven points. Stanford was dominating the glass 27-16. NC State wasn’t able to get going inside at all.
In the 3rd quarter, NC State caught fire. I don’t know what kind of pep talk they had at halftime or if they were convinced the water they were drinking was Michael's Secret Stuff, but they really won this game in the 3rd quarter by outscoring Stanford 28-10. James went off for 16 points in the 3rd quarter and was up to 20 points on the night. Her ability to break down Stanford’s perimeter defense was crucial to turning this game around.
Entering the 4th quarter, NC State led 55-47. After leading by 10 points at halftime, Stanford now found themselves down by eight points with only one quarter to go. Cameron Brink had four fouls and just all-around, the walls appeared to be closing in on the Cardinal.
Stanford would put up a fight in the 4th quarter, but NC State still outscored them 22-20 to win the game by a final score of 77-67. James walked out with her 29 points while Brink fouled out with most of the 4th quarter still to go. After an emotional win over Iowa State to reach the Sweet Sixteen, this was a really disappointing way for the Cardinal to go out.
While this isn’t the way Stanford wanted this game to go, they should still feel proud of how their season went. They won the Pac-12 regular season championship, got a two seed in the NCAA tournament, and then reaching the Sweet Sixteen in and of itself is solid. While it’s not to the level that Stanford holds, that’s still an objectively good season when you look at those numbers.
Looking ahead to the offseason, Stanford has a lot of things to address. The transfer portal isn’t kind to them in terms of adding pieces, so it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll be able to land anyone. And then with Cameron Brink leaving for the WNBA and Hannah Jump out of eligibility, they are losing two cornerstone pieces of their team.
“This program means so much to me,” Jump said. “These girls are my sisters. I don’t have a sister, so these are literally my sisters and it’s been an honor to represent Stanford beside them for the past five years and I’m just so grateful that Tara gave me the opportunity to come back for one more.
“My plans after, I want to continue playing basketball for as long as I can. So you know, wherever that takes me, I’m going to try and play my best. Do whatever I can wherever I go. But to play here has been truly an honor and a dream since I was a little girl. So, I’m just so grateful to finish my season with these girls and just honestly the best times have just been on and off the court any minute we’ve spent together.”
“Obviously sad,” Brink added. “But I’m just happy to have had such an amazing career here, to be coached by Tara, to play with these amazing girls; so I’m sad, but you know, it’s bittersweet for sure…I feel like these four years, they say it goes by fast and you don’t believe them and then it really does.
“I mean, I still feel like a freshman. I feel like I’m still a kid. I’m a kid at heart. I mean, Tara I’m sure is kicking me under the table saying that I am, but I’m really going to miss being coached by you even though I know you’re going to be in my corner for the rest of my life. Tara is the best and is the best for a reason because I don’t think anyone works harder.
“I’ve had an absolutely amazing coaching staff, I’ve played with some of the best players in the country, best shooters, and I have lifelong friends that I will never waver from, so I’m just extremely lucky and you know, while this is very sad, it’s just bittersweet. I love these girls and like Hannah said, I want to play basketball for as long as I can, so I’m excited.”
Kiki Iriafen projects to be THE focal point of the program next year, but she’s going to need help from her guards. Hopefully for Stanford, point guards Talana Lepolo and Chloe Clardy take a step in the right direction while incoming freshman Shay Ijiwoye provides an answer as well.
“Making sure that everybody is continually working on their craft,” Iriafen said looking ahead to next season. “So that we’re always improving throughout the season. Just making sure we’re all bought in. We have a lot of promise next year and it’ll be exciting to see where we go.”
On top of the guard play, Stanford is bringing in a couple other really talented freshmen in forward Kennedy Umeh and wing/forward Harper Peterson. They too will have a chance to make a real impact and leave their mark on the program in year one.
Not to be forgotten in all of this is the fact that head coach Tara VanDerveer became the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history. That’s a remarkable milestone. There’s so much great things that happened to Stanford this year. They just came up short and weren’t able to lift the national championship trophy in the end. It’ll be interesting to see how next season goes and what year one of the ACC era looks like.
“We’ve had a great season,” Iriafen said. “I love these girls. I would just like to say we were ranked like 15 at the beginning of the season. Nobody believed in us but ourselves and our families. So although this loss is very disappointing, as Tara said we have nothing to hang our heads on. We were a number two seed, we were in the top of the polls all season, so I’m really proud of us, the growth that we’ve had, the way that we’ve stuck with each other, so I think I’m just going to miss seeing my sisters every single day.”
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