Nov. 30, 2001
MALIBU, Calif. - Sophomore Nicole Powell (Phoenix, AZ/Mountain Pointe HS) had a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds as seventh-ranked Stanford University remained unbeaten with a 75-63 non-conference road win over Pepperdine University (2-3) on Friday night at Firestone Fieldhouse. Stanford (7-0) has won all of its games this season by 11 points or more.
"We showed a lot of character tonight," Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said "We started out well, and then came back to hit some big shots at the end."
The Cardinal, which was playing its fifth game in eight nights, jumped on top quickly in its first visit to Malibu since the 1983-84 season.
Stanford went on a 19-4 run midway through the first half to take a 17-point lead. Six different Cardinal players scored in the run, which was highlighted by a 3-pointer and two free throws from senior Lauren St. Clair (Philadelphia, PA/Mt. St. Joseph Academy) that put the Cardinal up 31-14 with 6:21 to go before halftime.
The Cardinal, however, scored just two points in the final six minutes of the first half as Pepperdine climbed right back into the contest. The Waves scored the final 10 points of the first half - five of them by sophomore Shandrika Lee (Moreno Valley, CA/North Riverside) - to cut the Stanford lead to 33-26 at the intermission.
Stanford shot 52.4 (11-of-21) percent in the first half to the Waves' 25.7 (9-of-25), but the Cardinal turned the ball over 13 times and was out-rebounded 21-17. Senior Lindsey Yamasaki (Oregon City, OR/Oregon City HS) led Stanford with 10 first half points, including 4-of-5 shooting from the floor.
The Waves picked up where they left off at the outset of the second half. Pepperdine used back-to-back 3-pointers by Lee and junior Damaris Hinojosa (Moorpark,CA/Moorpark HS) to cut the lead to one at 37-36, and then took its first lead of the game at 40-39 on a Hinojosa basket with 15:24 remaining.
But the Pepperdine lead was short lived.
Less than a minute later, the Cardinal started a 12-0 run that would put the Waves away. Senior center Cori Enghusen (Bothell, WA/Inglemoor HS) ignited the run with a pair of baskets inside, and also assisted on a Powell 3-pointer that capped the run. Powell's trey gave Stanford a 57-46 lead with 9:39 to play.
"Our post players really stepped up in the second half," VanDerveer said. "Cori came in and changed things with her rebounding and scoring."
Pepperdine did not get closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Yamasaki tied Powell for team scoring honors with 20 points, which marked the fourth time she has scored 20 or more points. In addition to the 20 points and 11 boards, Powell tied Stanford's single game free throw percentage record by going 10-for-10. Freshman Kelley Suminski (Chester, NJ/Mendham HS) added eight points and three steals, while Enghusen and freshman Sebnem Kimyacioglu (Mountain View, CA/Pinewood School) chipped in seven points apiece. The Cardinal also shot a season-high 56.1 (23-of-41) percent from the floor.
Lee led Pepperdine with 15 points, while Hinojosa chipped in 14.
Stanford ends this stretch of six games in 10 days when it hosts South Bay rival Santa Clara (4-1) on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal will then take two weeks off for final exams before hosting second-ranked Tennessee on Sunday, December 16 at 1:00 p.m.