Jan. 20, 2001
BERKELEY, Calif. - Freshman Nicole Powell (Phoenix, AZ/Mountain Pointe HS) had game-highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Stanford University (8-7 overall, 2-3 Pac-10) to a 63-56 road win over the University of California (5-10, 1-4) on Saturday afternoon at Haas Pavilion.
The win helped the Cardinal snap a seven-game road losing streak that dated back to the 1999-2000 campaign. Stanford's last road win was a 66-64 triumph over USC at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on March 5, 2000. The victory was also the 199th career Pac-10 win for Tara VanDerveer, who will shoot for No. 2000 when the Cardinal returns home to take on Washington on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
In a game that was tight throughout, the visitors finally gained control after a television timeout with 2:35 remaining in the game. After that break, Stanford scored nine of the final 11 points to win its eighth straight game in Berkeley.
Junior Lindsey Yamasaki (Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS) scored to put Stanford ahead to stay with 2:15 remaining, and Powell followed up with a basket and free throw in a 32-second spanfor a 59-54 lead with 59 seconds left. The Golden Bears would get no closer than three points the rest of the way, as Stanford extended its winning streak over its Bay Area rival to 15 games.
Powell, who is averaging 15.8 points and 10.4 rebounds in conference play, also had four steals and four assists to go along with the 19 points and 12 boards. Senior Sarah Dimson (Norman, OK/Norman HS) added 11 points - 10 of them in the first half - and Yamasaki chipped in 10.
Stanford out-rebounded the Golden Bears by a convincing 49-34 margin, and held the hosts to just 34.5 (20-of-58) percent shooting from the field.
Both team struggled to gain control in the first half, until Stanford reeled off eight straight points toward the end of the period for a 30-21 advantage. The run was keyed by a clutch 3-pointer by Yamasaki, who made both of Stanford's shots from beyond the arc on the afternoon.
But the Golden Bears answered right back with an 18-4 run of their own, which spanned the final minute of the first half and opening seven minutes of the second half. The run gave California a short-lived 39-34 lead.
Stanford quickly reversed the momentum by using a pair of 6-0 runs to build the lead back to six points at 54-48 with 3:49 remaining. California responded with full court pressure and a 6-0 run of its own to tie the game at 54 at the 2:35 mark, but could manage just two points the rest of the way as the Cardinal pulled away to the victory.