Jan. 20, 2005
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Late in the first half, Stanford's Kelley Suminski and Sebnem Kimyacioglu engaged in a give-and-go that resulted in a wide open layup by Suminski after taking Kimyacioglu's behind-the-back, no-look pass.
That was the pattern all night for UCLA, which lost track of the Stanford shooters a lot during the fifth-ranked Cardinal's 100-75 victory on Thursday night.
Suminski matched her season high with 21 points and Candice Wiggins added 19 points as Stanford, which shot a season best 56 percent, won its 16th straight home game. The Cardinal also made a season-high 15 3-pointers, one shy of the school record.
Brooke Smith had 14 points and a game-high seven assists for Stanford (16-2, 7-1 Pac-10), which beat the Bruins for the 12th straight time. Susan King Borchardt, playing in her ninth game and making her second start, added a season-high 14 points.
"We shot the ball really well and a lot of different people contributed," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "I love the company of our guards. They organize the floor, they pass to each other and they can knock down shots. Everything is orchestrated by those three."
The starting trio of Suminski, Wiggins and King Borchardt accounted for 54 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and six steals.
"That's because of our post players," Suminski said. "They had to double them and that opened the perimeter."
Stanford, which scored 100 points for the first time in three years, is 33-3 against UCLA since 1989. The Bruins last beat Stanford nearly five years ago.
"We want to build on this and play even better on Saturday," VanDerveer said of playing conference co-leader USC. "I think we can get even better. UCLA disrupted things. They gave us things to work on."
Nikki Blue scored a season-high 26 points, and Lisa Willis matched her season best with 25 points _ including a career-high seven 3-pointers, one off the school record _ for UCLA (11-6, 5-3 Pac-10), which lost its third straight after winning its first five conference games.
"They were getting on a roll inside so we decided to focus inside," Willis said. "Then they were kicking it out and hitting all their shots. It was frustrating and I think we adjusted too slowly."
Stanford, which won its 32nd straight home conference game, also improved to 4-1 against ranked teams.
UCLA played without leading scorer and rebounder Noelle Quinn, who tore cartilage in her left knee in Sunday's loss to Arizona. She underwent arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday and is expected to miss up to six weeks.
"Noelle does a lot for this team in a lot of ways," UCLA coach Kathy Olivier said. "This was our first game without her and she couldn't travel. It was hard without her even being here. I can't overemphasize that. Her presence means a lot."
The Bruins, who were the last team to lose a Pac-10 game, opened a stretch of six road games in eight contests.
Stanford used a 17-2 run in the second half to open a 33-point advantage. Kimyacioglu, who finished with 11 points, made her third 3-pointer with 11 minutes left, giving the Cardinal a 76-43 lead.
UCLA tried to rally by using its press, but Stanford responded and maintained its large lead.
The Cardinal went on 13-0 run and held UCLA scoreless for nearly six minutes midway through the first half, part of a 23-6 run that gave them a 33-15 lead with 8:30 left.
Stanford shot 10-for-18 from 3-point range in the half, including 4-for-7 shooting by Suminski. The Cardinal's 10 3-pointers in the first half was a school record.
Willis made four 3-pointers, including one at the buzzer that pulled the Bruins within 46-31 at the intermission.
Stanford has led at the half in all 18 games, including 11 by double figures.