Dec. 20, 2006
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kristen Newlin and Brooke Smith scored 14 points each, Jillian Harmon had 13 and JJ Hones added 11 as Stanford defeated USC 62-46 in the Pac-10 opener for both teams Wednesday night.
Playing without junior guard Candice Wiggins (hamstring sprain) for the first time during her career, the Cardinal received balanced scoring production in the post with Smith (14 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists) and Newlin (14 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and on the perimeter from Hones.
Hones made three 3-pointers in the first half for the No. 14 Cardinal (6-3), who have won four straight.
Stanford limited USC to 30.9-percent shooting from the field, forced 18 turnovers while allowing only six assists and held a 41-40 rebounding edge.
The Cardinal led 36-27 at intermission, then held the Women of Troy in check during the second half. USC's 46 points represented a season-low for a Stanford opponent this year.
Shay Murphy scored 18 of her 22 points in the first half for the Trojans (6-5), who were hosting their first Pac-10 opponent in the new Galen Center.
A bank shot from Harmon pushed Stanford ahead 38-27 to open the second half, and the Cardinal held an 11-point edge until USC's Nadia Parker drained a pair of free throws at 12:40 and Nicole Berberet crashed to the floor for a loose ball.
A jumper from Brooke Smith put the Cardinal ahead 54-40, and the game appeared to be in control before USC responded a free throw from Chloe Kerr and a trey from Jamie Hagiya to make it 54-44.
Stanford would go on to score eight of the game's final 10 points to seal the victory.
The Cardinal closes out its two-game road trip on Friday, facing UCLA at 2 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.
NOTES: Candice Wiggins missed the first game of her collegiate career (hamstring sprain), snapping a streak of 77 consecutive games played. Wiggins has started 76 of the 77 contests she has appeared in, with the exception coming back on Feb. 26, 2005 in an 84-41 home win over Oregon State. The starting lineup on Senior Day that afternoon featured Kelly Suminski, Susan (King) Borchardt, Sebnem Kimyacioglu, Azella Perryman and Brooke Smith. In that game, Wiggins scored a game-high 20 points on 8-12 shooting in 19 minutes of action ... Stanford improves to 18-3 in Pac-10 openers and that includes a seven-game winning streak ... The Cardinal is now 1-2 on the road ... Best game of the year for freshman JJ Hones, who established season-highs in: points (11), field goals (4), three-point field goals (3) and minutes played (33) ... Until Chloe Kerr knocked down a jumper at the 9:05 mark of the first half, the scoreboard could have read as follows: Stanford 16, Eshaya Murphy 13 ... Among those sitting courtside on Wednesday night: former USC standout Lisa Leslie ... Brooke Smith recorded her first double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds ... USC's 46 points represented a season-low for a Stanford opponent ... Best band through the first three road games? So far it's the 20-member USC contigent that was on hand Wednesday night, performing a number of diverse and challenging selections that included Alice Cooper's "School's Out", The Offspring's "The Kids Aren't Allright" and Systen of A Down's "Toxicity" ... The 10,258-seat Galen Center lived up to its billing. The home court of the USC basketball and volleyball programs, Galen houses the Athletic Department Hall of Fame and includes meeting rooms, a ticket office, concession stands and merchandise stores. The venue also plays host to concerts, commencement ceremonies and pageants ... In the last four games combined, Stanford's opponents have totaled 26 assists and 82 turnovers ... At least three Stanford players have reached double-figure scoring in every game this year with the exception of Nov. 13 against BYU ... Stanford has won four straight games, its longest winning streak of the year ... Brooke Smith's seven assists tied a career-high ... Jillian Harmon has made more baskets against USC (18) in four career games than any other Pac-10 opponent.