STANFORD, Calif. – DiJonai Carrington had a career night and No. 14 Stanford used stifling defense to suffocate UC Riverside on Friday night, 53-43.
Carrington had her first career double-double in her first career start, going for 13 points and 22 boards. The 5-foot-11 sophomore guard's rebound total is now tied for third in school history with Kaylee Johnson (twice) and Mikaela Ruef. Chiney Ogwumike (24) and Nneka Ogwumike (23) are the only Cardinal players with more rebounds in a game.
Alanna Smith added 11 points for the Cardinal (1-2), which built a 20-6 lead after the first quarter and kept the margin in double digits the rest of the way.
Carrington reached the double-double on a turnaround jumper with 3:25 left in the third quarter to give Stanford an 18-point lead, 45-27. She had 11 points and 14 rebounds at that point, would grab a defensive board a minute later and pulled down seven in the final period.
The Cardinal was up 18 again early in the fourth period when Smith slipped by her defender at the high post, drove down the lane and finished with her left hand to make it 51-33.
The Highlanders (0-3) had a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to cut the final deficit to 10, but they failed to do more during the final nine minutes as Stanford missed 16 of its last 17 shots following the Smith layup. Michelle Curry led UC Riverside with 15 points on 4-of-18 shooting.
The teams combined to go 4-of-29 from 3-point range with Smith, Alexa Romano and Kiana Williams accounting for Stanford's three from deep. Stanford held UC Riverside to 24.3 percent from the floor (17-of-70).
Down 4-2 early, the Cardinal used a 22-2 run to over the first and second quarters to take a 24-6 lead. The closest the Highlanders would get was the final 10-point margin.
In addition to Carrington and Smith scoring in double figures, senior Kaylee Johnson had eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and made four of her six attempts from the field.
Brittany McPhee and Nadia Fingall did not suit up for Stanford.