STANFORD, Calif. - No. 8 Stanford hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Honolulu for an appearance in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown over Thanksgiving break.
Participating in its lone tournament of the fall, Stanford (3-0) will square off against FGCU in the first of three games on successive days. The Cardinal then faces American on Saturday before closing the tournament against host Hawai'i on Sunday evening. All three games can be heard live on GoStanford.com, with Tim Swartz handling play-by-play duties.
Stanford and FGCU are hooking up for only the third time overall but there is recent history between the two programs. The Cardinal posted a 90-70 victory over the Eagles last March in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Maples Pavilion. Of the 65 shots attempted by FGCU in that game, 47 were from beyond the arc. The Eagles once again showcase a perimeter-friendly, fast-paced offensive style, with 57 percent of their field goal attempts coming from three-point territory.
Stanford boasts its own high-powered offense, having easily won its first three games by an average of 35.3 points. The Cardinal is averaging 94.0 points while shooting 49.8 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from long distance while holding a rebounding margin of +16.3.
Sharp-shooting Kiana Williams is averaging 18.0 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 64.5 percent overall and 61.1 percent (11-18) from three-point range. Alanna Smith is close behind at 17.7 points per game while Lexie Hull is averaging a team-best 7.0 rebounds and has notched the Cardinal's only double-double of the season.
The Cardinal has also received a noticeable lift from its bench, led by Maya Dodson. One of four players scoring in double figures, Dodson is averaging 10.0 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 60.9 percent from the field. Dodson, who has joined Smith and Williams as the only players to reach double figures in all three games, is the team's leading shot-blocker with eight swats and has totaled seven assists to just one turnover.
Friday's contest against FGCU will be Stanford's first game in eight days. The Cardinal's Nov. 18 home contest against Ohio State was canceled, as a significant increase in smoke from the devastating wildfires in Butte County had compromised the air quality throughout the Bay Area while causing the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings to reach, and occasionally exceed, the "Very Unhealthy" category. With no guarantee that conditions would improve and the Buckeyes' Nov. 16 game at Sacramento State already canceled, it was decided the game would not be played.
Following its appearance in the Rainbow Wahine Showdown, Stanford will travel to Gonzaga on Dec. 2. The Cardinal will not return to Maples Pavilion until Dec. 15, hosting Baylor in what is expected to be a top-10 matchup.