Jan 4, 2004
SEATTLE (AP) - Stanford's accuracy was outstanding, then went away. But the Cardinal made just enough shots to keep their Pac-10 record perfect.
Nicole Powell had 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Sebnem Kimyacioglu scored 11 of her 16 points in the second half to lead ninth-ranked Stanford to a 77-69 victory Sunday over Washington.
Stanford (11-2, 4-0) shot an astonishing 62 percent from behind the 3-point line in the first half, and 54 percent for the game. But the Cardinal went scoreless during a nine-minute stretch near the end of the game and had to hang on the beat Washington (8-5, 1-3).
Stanford avenged last season's loss at Washington. Giuliana Mendiola had 23 points and Andrea Lalum 20 for Washington.
The Cardinal opened the second half scoring nine straight points to go ahead by 14. But it took a key rebound by Kristen Newlin, after a 3-point attempt by Washington's Cameo Hicks rimmed out with less than 20 seconds to go, to seal the win.
Powell completed the scoring on foul shots.
"Washington plays tough defense," she said. "I expected to see more of a zone, but they did a good job of playing me straight up."
The Huskies went on a 14-2 run over the final eight minutes to close to 69-71.
"I thought we had them," Mendiola said. "We can't afford to play defense like we did against these type of shooters. Our rotations were slow and we were slow getting through picks. We watched them shoot it in our faces."
Still, Stanford was concerned about the late drought.
"We could definitely feel they were on a run and we didn't answer it very well," Susan King Borchardt said. "We were able to hold on and get the win though."
The Cardinal are 40-3 since March 2001 in Pac-10 play. But the Huskies beat Stanford 92-68 last season, handing the Cardinal their worst loss in 12 years. The Cardinal are just 9-8 all-time at Washington.
Powell, who came into the contest averaging just under 20 points and just over 10 rebounds, scored on her first three attempts and dominated the boards.
Reserve Jill Bell had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, who have lost three of their last four games.
"I don't think it's any different than playing anyone else, but she is a great player," Bell said of guarding Powell. "Defensively, we didn't do what we needed to do as a whole."
Powell had 14 points and Borchardt scored 11 of her 14 in pacing Stanford to a 43-40 halftime lead.
Borchardt made all three of her shots and Powell was two of three from beyond the arc.