Brink, Jones lead No. 2 Stanford over Washington State 61-54
Feb 24, 2022, 7:53 AM | Updated: 10:30 pm
Stanford forward Cameron Brink, left, collides with Washington State center Bella Murekatete (55) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Stanford, Calif. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
(AP Photo/John Hefti)
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Brink scored 16 points and had 15 rebounds for her 10th double-double of the season, and No. 2 Stanford beat Washington State 61-54 on Thursday night.
“I’ve definitely taken on more of a scoring role and that feels good,” Brink said. “Doubling me makes it harder to score down low and I took the shots that were open. I know I can rebound.”
Haley Jones added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Stanford (23-3, 14-0 Pac-12) and Hannah Jump scored 12. The Cardinal has 16 straight wins and 30 straight against Pac-12 opponents, including the postseason.
“We didn’t have the same energy, to be honest, and we were a little flat,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “Washington State in second place in the last week is really exciting for them. They gave us a heck of a game.”
Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 17 to lead Washington State, (18-8, 10-5) which was coming off a win over then-No. 8 Arizona.
“You need to win, but you need to know you can compete,” Cougars coach Kamie Ethridge said. “I still think we have more in us. Holding Stanford to 61? I’d think we had a chance to win the game.”
Brink helped Stanford dominate the boards, even though she picked up her fourth personal foul in the final 90 seconds of the third quarter and didn’t play much in the fourth.
Krystal Leger-Walker hit a 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds and Washington State drew within seven points of the Cardinal. It was one of the closest games in the history of the series, in which Stanford has won all 71 games.
Stanford led at halftime, 28-17. Jones hit a turnaround jumper at the buzzer to give Stanford a 44-32 lead heading into the final period.
BIG PICTURE
Washington State: The Cougars can still make school history with a victory Saturday. Their 18 overall wins and 10 conference wins match the most in team history (NCAA era). A victory would also clinch a bye for WSU in next week’s conference tournament for the first time ever.
Stanford: The Cardinal will be going for its eighth perfect conference season and its first since 2012. Stanford is the only Pac-12 team to accomplish the feat once.
“It would motivate me,” VanDerveer said. “We want to play well. Washington is coning in with two wins and they’ll be playing loose.”
UP NEXT:
Washington State: At California on Saturday.
Stanford: Hosts Washington on Saturday.
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