Dec 12, 2003
Box Score
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Azella Perryman finished taking final exams in the middle of the afternoon, and then came off the bench at night to lead sixth-ranked Stanford with eight rebounds in her second game back from an injury.
Nicole Powell and Krista Rappahahn each scored 17 points in Stanford's 86-25 victory over Pacific on Friday night in their first game in two weeks.
Kristen Newlin added 12 as the Cardinal (6-0) prepared for their national showdown with No. 2 Tennessee on Sunday by allowing their fewest points since giving up a school record 23 to Santa Clara on Feb. 21, 1976.
The Lady Vols are the highest-ranked team to play at Stanford since No. 2 Kansas State lost 63-57 last Nov. 30.
"It was a rush to walk out of that last final," said Perryman, who missed four games with a left foot injury. "I just said, 'I'm done. I can go play basketball.' It was a long day."
Nancy Dinges scored eight points to lead the Tigers (0-6), who have lost five straight to Stanford.
"Stanford is a pretty good team and a lot of things we were trying to do they took us out of," said Pacific coach Craig Jackson. "They are fundamentally sound."
The 61-point margin of victory was the third-largest in school history, and the largest since a 64-point win over San Diego State on Dec. 10, 1990.
"This was a nice game for us," said Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer. "I thought everybody played well. To be this focused I'm very happy. I thought Azella was rebounding the heck out of it. I almost want a recount because it seemed like she had 28, not eight."
The Tigers, coming off a 61-point loss to fourth-ranked Texas Tech four days previous, were playing their fourth of five consecutive road games.
"This was a great game for us because we were able to come out of exams and play well together," said Rappahahn.
Stanford holds a 14-3 lead in the leads the all-time series, and hasn't lost to Pacific since Nov. 29, 1983.
"People didn't look past Pacific," said VanDerveer. "We came out and played."
Stanford forward T'Nae Thiel, who has started 55 games over the past two years, made her season debut after missing the first five games with a stress fracture in her left foot.
The Cardinal held Pacific to two points through the first 12:30 of the second half, holding a 66-16 lead before Dinges hit a 3-pointer with 7:14 remaining to play.
Pacific missed 10 of its first 11 shots and fell behind 19-2 in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Tigers, who've spent a total of four days at home in the past two weeks, shot just over 17 percent for the half while Stanford shot over 51 percent.
Rappahahn's 3-pointer with 3:55 left in the half put the Cardinal up 40-10, and they went on to take a 43-14 halftime lead.