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Women's Basketball

Stanford Takes On No. 15 Tar Heels

Cardinal hosts UNC for first time since 2014 Elite Eight

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THE GAME: Stanford hosts No. 15 North Carolina for just the second time on Sunday, Feb. 2 at noon. Kylen Mills and Kelley Deyo have the call on The CW, while Kevin Danna will handle the radio broadcast on GoStanford.com and the Stanford Athletics app.

THE RUNDOWN: Stanford was a perfect 15-for-15 from the line in Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh, a program record for makes without a miss ... The Cardinal held Pitt to 0-of-15 on 3-pointers, its first time not allowing a 3-point make since Feb. 2, 2020 at Washington State (0-of-15) ... The Cardinal is ninth in the nation in 3-point percentage (.374) ...  Nunu Agara is one of six underclassmen in the country averaging 17.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists ... Agara has increased her scoring by 11.8 points and her rebounding by 5.0 boards from her freshman year ... Tess Heal is the only major conference guard in the country making more than 50 percent of her field goals (.520) and 3-pointers (.538) with a minimum of one 3-pointer made per game ... Against Florida State, Elena Bosgana became the second DI player this season with 21 points, 15 rebounds and six assists ... Over the past three games, freshmen and sophomores have combined to score 147 of Stanford’s 179 points (82.1 percent) ... Stanford’s 2025 recruiting class, featuring three five-star talents and two four-stars, is ranked No. 3 nationally by espnW HoopGurlz ... On Jan. 27, it was announced that signees Alex Eschmeyer, Lara Somfai and Hailee Swain will participate in the 2025 McDonald’s All American Game ... Of the 24 women selected, Stanford and Tennessee have the most players suiting up next fall with three commits each.

VS. NORTH CAROLINA: Stanford is 3-1 all-time against UNC, but this will be the teams’ first meeting in a decade. Most recently, the No. 11 Tar Heels beat No. 5 Stanford, 70-54, at the Rainbow Wahine Shootout in Honolulu on Nov. 28, 2014, their only prior regular-season contest. In the only matchup in Maples Pavilion, No. 2 seed Stanford beat No. 4 seed North Carolina in the Elite Eight on April 1, 2014, 74-65, to earn the program its 12th Final Four appearance. Other Stanford wins came in the Sweet 16 on March 26, 2011 (72-65) and  March 22, 1995 (81-71).

DILIGENT DEVELOPMENT »

  • One year after Kiki Iriafen was the country’s most improved player, Nunu Agara has taken a massive leap and is one of the NCAA’s most improved this season. After averaging 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds as a freshman, she’s putting up 17.2 points (+11.8) and 7.9 rebounds (+5.0) per game as a sophomore.
  • Since 1999-2000, Iriafen has the largest increases at Stanford, going from 6.7 points per game as a sophomore to 19.4 as a junior (+12.7) in 2023-24 and from 3.8 rebounds per game to 11.0 (+7.2).
  • Eighth in the league in scoring and rebounding, Agara is one of six underclassmen in the country averaging 17/7/2. The others are sophomore Khamil Pierre at Vanderbilt (20.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.2 apg), sophomore Ashley Sofilkanich at Bucknell (20.3 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg), sophomore Zanai Barnett-Gray at Navy (19.4 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg), sophomore Stailee Heard at Oklahoma State (17.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.3 apg) and freshman Sarah Strong at UConn (17.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.6 apg).
  • In addition to Agara, Pierre, Heard and Strong, there are only four other major conference players averaging 17/7/2 this season in TCU’s Sedona Prince (19.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.3 apg), Miami’s Haley Cavinder (18.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.9 apg), UCLA’s Lauren Betts (21.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 2.5 apg) and Wisconsin’s Serah Williams (18.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.6 apg).
  • Only six other players in Stanford history have averaged 17/7/2 - Cameron Brink in 2023-24 (17.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.8 apg), Kiki Iriafen in 2023-24 (19.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.3 apg), Brooke Smith in 2205-06 (17.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.1 apg), Nicole Powell in both 2003-04 (20.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.1 apg) and 2002-03 (18.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.8 apg), Val Whiting in 1991-92 (18.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.0 apg) and Julie Zeilstra in 1990-91 (19.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.3 apg).
  • The last ACC player to average 17/7/2 for an entire season with Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley in 2020-21 (18.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.0 apg).
  • Agara is one of four ACC players in the league’s top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, along with Haley Cavinder (Miami), Khadija Faye (Pitt) and Makayla Timpson (Florida State).
  • She has scored in double figures in 19 of 20 games this season, including four 20-point efforts, and has a double-double in five of Stanford’s last nine games.
  • Agara had career highs with 29 points and 13 rebounds in Stanford’s overtime loss at No. 5 LSU on Dec. 5 and shot 75.0 percent from the floor (12-of-16). According to Sports Reference, she is the fifth DI player since 2002-03 to have 29 points and 13 rebounds in a true road game against an AP top five opponent and the only one to do it on better than 60.0 percent shooting.
    • 11/21/21: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor) at No. 3 Maryland (30 pts, 15 rebs, .560 fg%)
    • 1/24/21: Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech) at No. 2 NC State (30 pts, 13 rebs, .591 fg%)
    • 12/22/13: Crystal Bradford (Central Michigan) at No. 4 Notre Dame (30 pts, 13 rebs, .429 fg%)
    • 11/19/08: Alysha Clark (MTSU) at No. 2 Oklahoma (31 pts, 16 rebs, .444 fg%)

YOUTH MOVEMENT »

  • Stanford made a change to its starting lineup against Clemson on Jan. 5, with freshman Shay Ijiwoye and sophomore Chloe Clardy earning their first career starts in the backcourt. Along with sophomore Nunu Agara in the front court, it was the first time Stanford had started three underclassmen since Feb. 7, 2020, when sophomores Lacie and Lexie Hull and freshman Ashten Prechtel joined senior Nadia Fingall and junior Kiana Williams in the first five in a game against UCLA.
  • Those three have started each of the past seven games. Stanford hasn’t started three underclassmen in eight consecutive games since the end of the 2018-19 season when sophomore Kiana Williams, freshman Lacie Hull and sophomore Maya Dodson started the final nine alongside senior Alanna Smith and junior DiJonai Carrington.
  • Over the past three games, Stanford’s freshmen and sophomores have combined to score 147 of Stanford’s 179 points (82.1 percent) and grab 62 of its 100 rebounds (62.0 perecent).

FIRST CLASS »

  • Kate Paye’s first signing class as head coach includes three five-star talents and two four-stars according to espnW HoopGurlz, and four ranked in that publication’s top 100.
Player HoopGurlz Rank Stars Ht./Pos.
Hailee Swain 9 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-11 • G
Lara Somfai 16 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6-4 • F
Alex Eschmeyer 31 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6-5 • F
Nora Ezike 84 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6-2 • F
Carly Amborn -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6-2 • G/F
  • The class began with Swain’s commitment in July 2022 and culminated with Somfai’s announcement the morning of Nov. 13. The group is rated No. 3 by espnW HoopGurlz.
  • Stanford’s three five-star signees are second to LSU (4) and the program’s most since it had four in the Class of 2019 (Haley Jones, Ashten Prechtel, Fran Belibi, Hannah Jump). That group won a national championship as sophomores.
  • On Jan. 27, it was announced that Eschmeyer, Somfai and Swain will participate in the 2025 McDonald’s All American Game on April 1 in Brooklyn.
  • Of the 24 women selected to be McDonald’s All Americans, Stanford and Tennessee have the most players suiting up next fall with three commits each.
  • Stanford’s three McDonald’s All Americans are almost as many as the rest of the ACC combined (4).
  • This is the fourth time Stanford has had three McDonald’s All Americans in the same class, along with 2019 (Fran Belibi, Haley Jones, Ashten Prechtel), 2016 (DiJonai Carrington, Nadia Fingall, Anna Wilson) and 2007 (Ashley Cimino, Kayla Pedersen, Jeanette Pohlen).
  • Eschemyer and Swain are also on the USA Basketball roster for the 26th Nike Hoop Summit on April 12 in Portland, Ore.

WHERE WE STAND »

  • Stanford secured its first road win of the season at Wake Forest on Jan. 16, 74-71. It was the Cardinal’s first win in the state of North Carolina since a 78-63 win at NC State on Dec. 3, 1994.
  • The Cardinal is 10-2 at home this season, but 1-7 away from Maples Pavilion. Stanford was the third-to-last Power 4 program to secure a victory away from its home court this season (road or neutral), ahead of Rutgers and Houston. The Cougars still do not have a road or neutral-site win.
  • This was the latest in a season Stanford had gone without a road win since 2000-01. That year, the Cardinal didn’t pick up its first true road win since beating California in Berkeley on Jan. 20, 63-56.
  • Prior to heading east, Stanford snapped an uncharacteristic three-game losing streak with an 89-84 win over visiting Florida State on Jan. 9, the Cardinal’s first in the ACC.
  • The three game losing streak (Ohio State, SMU, Clemson) was the Cardinal’s first within the same season since January 2001 against Arizona, Oregon State and Oregon. Stanford has not dropped four straight in a season since January and February 1987 against Oregon State, Oregon, USC and UCLA.
  • Stanford is 4-8 in its last 12 games, shooing 40.5 percent from the floor, 32.9 percent from beyond the arc, and with 136 assists against 190 turnovers (0.72 A/TO ratio). In the team’s first eight games during the month of November, the Cardinal went 7-1, shot 50.5 percent overall, 44.0 percent from deep, and had 135 assists and 95 turnovers (1.42 A/TO ratio).
  • The team’s 4-8 record in December and January is its worst 12-game stretch since the final 12 games of the 1986-87 season when it closed 4-8.
  • Stanford’s 11-9 record is the program’s worst 20-game start since beginning the 1998-99 season 11-9.
  • Stanford’s 3-6 start in conference play is its worst since 1985-86, Tara VanDerveer’s first year on The Farm. In the season before the start of Pac-10 women’s basketball, the Cardinal would lose its first six Pac-West games en route to a 1-7 league mark.
  • In home games, Stanford is scoring 80.3 points per game on 47.9 percent shooting, including 39.1 perfect from deep. In its eight road and neutral games away from Maples, the Cardinal is averaging 65.4 points on 39.6 percent shooting and 34.4 percent on 3-pointers.

WHAT’S BACK, WHAT’S NOT »

  • Heading in 2024-25, Stanford was looking replace 59.8 percent of its scoring, 54.4 percent of its rebounding and 42.8 percent of its minutes played from a season ago.
  • The Cardinal’s leading returning scorer was Elena Bosgana (6.7) and its leading returning rebounder was Brooke Demetre (3.6).

FROM DEEP »

  • The Cardinal is ninth nationally in 3-point percentage, shooting 37.4 percent (161-of-430). That is all despite going only 40-of-162 (.247) across eight games against UC Davis, Indiana, Cal Poly, LSU, Ohio State, NC State, Cal (Jan. 23) and Pittsburgh. In Stanford’s other 12 games, it has made more than 45 percent (121-of-267; .453).
  • Stanford was incredible from 3-point range over the first three games of the season. One game after hitting a school-record 18 3-pointers in the opener against Le Moyne, the Cardinal went 14-of-20 (.700) in a win over Washington State and knocked down another 13 against Gonzaga on Nov. 10.

HEAL IS UNREAL »

  • Tess Heal had her breakout game at Stanford’s win over Wake Forest, scoring a season-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including 6-of-8 from deep.
  • She scored all 24 of her points in the first three quarters and made her first six 3-pointers. Heal went on a personal 11-0 run in the first to push Stanford to a 19-9 lead after one.
  • A career 31.5 percent 3-point shooter at Santa Clara, she is 21-of-39 this year (.538).
  • Shooting 52.0 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent on 3-pointers, Heal is the only major conference guard in the country making more than 50 percent both overall and from distance (minimum one 3-pointer made per game).
  • Heal, along with Mary Ashley Stevenson, are just the second and third undergraduate transfers in program history. Brooke Smith played as a freshman at Duke in 2002-03 before transferring to Stanford.

BOSGANA’S BIG DAY »

  • Elena Bosgana scored a career-high 26 points and didn’t miss from the floor to lead Stanford to an 84-54 win over visiting UC San Diego on Nov. 29.
  • Bosgana poured in her 26 on a perfect 10-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-5 from deep, tying the school record for single-game field goal percentage (min. 10 attempts). Kim Kupferer was 11-of-11 from the floor in a game against Pacific on Jan. 24, 1981.
  • The senior also had six rebounds, three assists and four steals in her 30 minutes. The only “blemish” in her otherwise perfect game was a missed free throw in the third quarter.
  • According to Sports Reference, Bosgana is just the sixth DI player since 2002-03 to be perfect from the floor when attempting at least 10 total field goals and five 3-pointers and first since South Dakota State’s Tagyn Larson on Feb. 13, 2019 against Omaha (11-of-11, 5-of-5).
  • She also became the fourth Stanford player to be perfect on 3-pointers with at least five attempts, joining Jennifer Azzi (7-of-7 vs. Eastern Michigan on Dec. 29, 1989), Joslyn Tinkle (5-of-5 vs. Michigan on March 26, 2013) and Lauren St. Clair (5-of-5 vs. UCLA on Feb. 3, 2000).
  • Against Florida State on Jan. 9, Bosgana had her second consecutive double-double with 21 points, 15 rebounds and six assists, becoming just the second player in the country this season with those numbers in a game. Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim had 26 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists in a win over New Mexico on Nov. 24.