STANFORD, Calif. – Led by strong performances from forwards Kaylee Johnson and Erica McCall, No. 9 Stanford downed Colorado, 71-56, Sunday afternoon in Maples Pavilion.
The two frontcourt players each recorded a double-double, with Johnson totaling 17 points and 11 rebounds, and McCall finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a game-high three blocks. Johnson's 17-point output was a career-high, and she also topped the team with four assists, a personal best.
The Cardinal (13-3, 3-1 Pac-12) struggled out of the gate offensively, hitting just one of its first ten shots as Colorado (5-9, 0-4 Pac-12) jumped out to an 11-3 lead. Johnson, though, was active from the moment she checked in, scoring her team's first six points before consecutive threes from Karlie Samuelson and Brittany McPhee gave Stanford its first advantage of the game at 12-11. The Cardinal withstood Colorado's 6-of-8 start from the field and went up 28-21 by halftime.
Down by as many as 11 in the third quarter, the Buffaloes, who were playing without top-scorer Jamee Swan, battled back to pull within five at 57-52 with just under five minutes remaining. But Johnson's old-fashioned, 3-point play started a 10-0 Cardinal run that put the game out of reach.
"All the teams in the Pac-12 are great, so we knew this was going to be a hard game no matter what (Colorado's) ranking was," McCall said. "But I think our team did well as far as keeping our composure. We've been in these types of situations, so I don't think any of us were really nervous about (the five-point lead)."
Stanford is now 9-0 against the Buffs since the school joined the Pac-12 and 14-4 all-time.
TURNING POINT » The Cardinal ended the first quarter on an 11-3 run to tie the game at 14. Keying the spurt was the strong play of Johnson, who scored Stanford's first six points and was also an active rebounder and passer. Stanford then outscored the Buffs 12-3 to start the second, receiving contributions from five different players. The run was punctuated by Lili Thompson's 1,000-point, barrier-busting shot from deep.
JOHNSON KEEPS ROLLING » Forward Kaylee Johnson continued her strong play of the past few weeks, pouring in 17 points off the bench against the Buffs on 6-of-7 shooting, including 10 in the first half. The sophomore from Casper, Wyoming is averaging 8.4 points over her past eight games and has made 26 of her last 32 shots from the floor (.813).
KAYLEE JOHNSON » Colorado came out strong, and being on the bench to start I was able to see what was going on. So I really hoped to just come out, bring some energy, take advantage of what was open and try to fit the role the team needed at that moment.
TARA VANDERVEER » I'm really excited how Kaylee has come off the bench for us and rebounded and scored for us in this game--but other games, too. When things don't go her way, she just has to stay strong, stay tough and be aggressive.
DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLES » Sunday marked the first time two Stanford players had a double-double in the same game since Chiney Ogwumike (29 points, 15 rebounds) and Mikaela Ruef (11 points, 13 rebounds) did so on March 30, 2014 in the Sweet 16 against Penn State in Maples.
TARA VANDERVEER II » It was great to see both (Erica) and (Kaylee) really get on the glass. We're excited to see more post scoring.
MILLENNIUM MILESTONE » With her basket at the 3:12 mark of the second quarter, Thompson surpassed 1,000 career points, becoming the 36th Cardinal to do so. The junior guard, who earlier this season was named to the John R. Wooden Award Women's Preseason Top 30 and Naismith Trophy Women's Watch List, finished the game with 12 points and now has 1,011 in her three seasons on the Farm. That total places her 35th on Stanford's all-time scoring list.
THE LAND OF SECOND CHANCES » The Cardinal's strong effort on the offensive glass carried the team through a day in which it shot 37.9 percent to Colorado's 41.1 percent. Stanford held a 5-0 advantage in offensive rebounds over the first eight minutes of play, and finished the game with 18 to Colorado's 10. The Cardinal had 20 second-chance points and limited CU to just five.
FREE POINTS » Stanford made one fewer field goal than Colorado and two fewer 3-pointers, but the Cardinal carried the day by earning 26 more free throw attempts than the Buffs. Stanford was 23-for-34 from the charity stripe while CU went 4-of-8.
NEXT UP » Stanford will travel north to play Oregon and Oregon State next Friday and Sunday, before heading the opposite direction to face UCLA and USC the following weekend. The Cardinal's next home game is Friday, Jan. 29 against Washington.
