CREIGHTON AND CAL ARE NEXT. BOTH HAVE DONE A LOT OF WINNING THIS SEASON. WE NEED TO COME OUT STRONG AND TAKE CONTROL IN BOTH.

Creighton is a bunch of stout, slow-footed, vertically-challenged non-athletic white girls from Omaha who can shoot, play defense, and score in the paint in unlikely ways. So far this season they're 8 and 2. Four of their five starters average double digits - Morgan Maly 18, Lauren Jensen 17, Emma Ronsiek 12, and Molly Morgensen 10.

They're used to being guarded by taller players and scoring against them. They hit open threes, step-back fall-aways, scoop shots, and looping hook shots that somehow usually go in. If you don't take them seriously, they'll beat you.

We need to take them seriously.

Cal is much improved. Their whole roster shows tons of off-season dedication and hard work. They're 9 and 2 so far overall with losses to SMU and Notre Dame. Jayda Curry is still their leading scorer, but Kemery Martin, Evelien Lutje Schipholt, and Leilani McIntosh are now double digit scorers. Two common opponents for our team and theirs this season are Pacific and CSUN. They beat Pacific by 17 and we beat them by 54. They beat CSUN by 30 and we beat them by 64. 

We need to come out strong and take control.

LET'S GO STANFORD!! LET'S WIN BOTH!!   

    

TENNESSEE ISN'T COMING TO PALO ALTO FOR THE WEATHER.

Things have changed since I previewed our December 18th game against Tennessee. Tamari Key, their 6'-6" post player, is out for the rest of the season with a medical problem. Rickea Jackson, their 6'-2" transfer from Mississippi State, has been returned to her spot in the starting lineup. For several weeks she had been missing from the team after removal by the coach. 

Jordan Horston has recovered from her knee injury and is playing very well. Jillian Hollingshead, their 6'-5" freshman, is back in the lineup, as well. 

Their preseason has been an up-and-down affair. They're currently 5 and 5. Recently they beat Colorado by 18 and lost to #13 UCLA by 18. They lost to #22 Gonzaga by one and to #7 Virginia Tech by three. 

They started the season ranked #5 and are currently unranked. In Charlie Creme's first iteration of the 64 team bracket, Tennessee was a number two seed. In his latest edition they have fallen out of the 64 team field altogether. 

So, if we're looking for a moral to this story, it could be that there are no guarantees in women's basketball - and just because Stanford has been a ranked team for 615 weeks there can be no resting on past laurels. 

Obviously, from the Vols' viewpoint, their trip to Palo Alto is step one on their road back to the NCAA Tournament. They aren't coming out here for the weather. Jordan Horston is one of the most electrifying athletes in America and I'm sure she fully intends to put up twenty-five or thirty on the 18th in a winning effort.

Their charter from Knoxville to SFO will bring a quiet, serious, determined group ready to turn their season around by knocking off #2. Kelly Harper is a three-time National Champion for Pat Summit and a Tennessee legend. She will have her team ready to win on the 18th. 

Stanford has to come off their two week break ready to rock. We can't be slow starting or sluggish out of the gate. Tennessee means business and Jordan and her crew will come out swinging and slinging. Be Ready!!

LET'S GO STANFORD!!

  

OUR NEXT TWO GAMES ARE ON THE ROAD FRIDAY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PACIFIC TIGERS AND SUNDAY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND PILOTS.

In their first game of the season UOP soundly defeated the UC Riverside Highlanders 83 to 61 in spite of suffering 22 turnovers. They held Riverside to 32% field goal shooting including 5 of 17 three pointers and they outrebounded Riverside 46 to 24. The Highlanders are coached by former Stanford Star Nicole Powell. Most of the minutes on Friday will go to the following Tigers:

                                                                                    REB.    POINTS

Anaya James             5'-9"    Sophomore    Guard          4            21

Liz Smith                  5'-9"    Junior             Guard          4            12

Elizabeth Elliot         6'-1"    Sophomore    Guard          4            10

Cecillia Holmberg    6'-2"    Junior             Forward      8              9

Madelene Ennis        5'-11"  Junior             Forward      1              9

Katie Deaton             5'-11"  Junior             Guard         3              7

Sam Ashby                5'-9"    Senior            Guard         6              6

(Sorry about the columns. They look fine in draft mode. When I hit "publish" they get all wiggly.)

On Sunday the Cardinal take on the University of Portland Pilots and the game will be on ESPN2 at 2PM. In their first game, the Pilots defeated the Willamette Bearcats 92 to 56. As a team, the Pilots shot 57% and outrebounded the Bearcats 41 to 20. They also turned the Bearcats over 24 times. Portland's top three scorers shot 71% on 22 of 31 shots taken. Ten of their players are from Australia or New Zealand.

On Tuesday, 14th ranked Ohio State upset the 5th ranked Tennessee Lady Vols in Columbus, Ohio 87 to 75 getting 29 turnovers from their terrific 40 minute fullcourt press. In the first half it appeared that the Lady Vols would win easily by twenty or more. Jordan Horston seemed unstoppable, driving relentlessly for acrobatic layups. The Buckeyes were missing most of their shots and went one for ten from beyond the line. Their press was working but their shots weren't.

Then came the second half. The Buckeyes turned up the heat on their press and started hitting shots. They turned the Vols over ten times  and scored thirty points in the third quarter. Taylor Mikesell and Jacy Sheldon were everywhere and the Vols melted under the pressure. 

Horston is a 6'-2" highflying scorer who appears unstoppable one on one. She's fast, quick, agile, and lethal. Unfortunately, in their game this week against UMass, Jordon injured her knee and had to be carried off the court. Jasmine Powell, their new point guard transfer from Minnesota is a terrific addition and can score.

Watched South Carolina dismantle East Tennessee, but didn't feel I learned much new. They're good, not great. 

LET'S BE GREAT ON THE 20TH!!

GO CARDINAL!!

      

ON MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY WE GET OUR PRESEASON OFF TO A GREAT START AGAINST SDSU AND CSUN.

Our first two opponents this season are both reconstructed programs after going deep into the Transfer Portal after last season and finding strong additions to their 2022/2023 rosters.

The Aztecs from San Diego State brought in four players from all over America. It would appear that all four transfers and several returning players will see significant minutes Monday evening, but the portal didn't yield the size I would have expected and that the Aztecs sorely needed.

So, Yummy Morris, a 6'-2" graduate transfer from TCU, will be called on to patrol the paint Monday evening - and she only brought down three rebounds a game for the Horned Frogs in Fort Worth last season.

SDSU had better luck shopping for scorers in the portal and signed Adryana Quezada, the leading scorer from Utah State, and Sarah Borcello from Marist in Poughkeepsie, New York. They averaged 15 and 13 points respectively last season. 

The Aztecs can easily start a team of seniors and graduate students who have lots of experience, and are really fast and aggressive. 

California State University @ Northridge (CSUN) imported six players for their roster and definitely found some size. Arina Nikishina is a 6'-6" Russian post player who has a lot of experience playing for youth teams in her home country. Ana Carolina de Jesus is a 6'-3" forward from Portugal and has played all over.

The Matadors have two 6'-1" sisters who can both play. (Sound familiar?) Tess Amundsen has led the Matadors in scoring for the last two years. She's a grad student and her younger sister, Laney, was a junior college star last season.

A great way to start the season!!

COME ON CARDINAL!! LET'S ROCK AND ROLL!!

 

AS A. PREVIEW OF OUR SEASON - WHAT DID SATURDAY'S INTERSQUAD SCRIMMAGE TELL US ABOUT OUR 2022/2023 TEAM ?

It told me we enjoy an amazing bounty of riches. From number one to number fifteen, so much talent! And not only talent - you could see the thousands of hours of hard work each player has invested to enable them to be out there on that practice floor. 

And since April there's been great improvement! Haley looks more like a Player of the Year candidate and a number one draft pick. Cameron is on her way to becoming a face the basket slasher, a mid-range jump shooter, and a spot up long distance threat. Hanna is more of a threat off the dribble, who can drive around and score against any defender who gets in her grill. Kiki looks to me like an All-Pac12 player!  

We have three weeks to get ready for the Gamecocks. In those three weeks we play one D2 Exhibition and five D1 games. We'll be ready. Of course, we miss the grit and urgency of Anna and the Hulls. On the other hand, Jones, Brink, Iriafen and Emma Nnopu played with the intensity those three brought every day. In the next three weeks, more of that intensity needs to infuse all fifteen of our players.

Fran wasn't able to play and I'm sure this season she's going to bring it every day.        

The five freshmen were a terrific surprise. Their skill level certainly shows the years of training and preparation that will enable them to contribute in the near term. Talana Lepolo appeared ready to bring the ball up the floor and initiate the offense against intense defensive pressure. Lauren Betts seemed to lack confidence and I'm hoping she gets enough playing time in the next three weeks to feel more comfortable out there. She's got all the strength and ability she needs.

As I watched, my thought of a starting five took shape:

Kiki

Hanna

Haley

Cam

Fran

What would your starting five look like?

And a second string might be:

Agnes

Talana

Ashten

Brooke

Lauren B.

I felt our second string could make it into ESPN's top twenty-five teams in the country. These next three weeks are going to be great. I can't wait to welcome the Gamecocks into Maples. 

Let the games begin!!

LET'S GO STANFORD!!

OUR PRESEASON MATCHUPS WITH SOUTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE IN MAPLES COULD BE A PREVIEW OF OUR FINAL FOUR OPPONENTS!!

Charlie Creme has put out a revised bracket for the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. You may have seen it. The four Number One seeds in his projection are South Carolina, Stanford, Texas, and Tennessee. And as you know, we play South Carolina on November 20 and Tennessee on December 18 - both in Maples. I've previewed our game with the Gamecocks, so now I'll give you the lowdown on the Lady Volunteers. 

But first, since my preview of the Gamecocks, Dawn Staley went to the Transfer Portal shopping for a veteran replacement for Destanni Henderson and signed Kierra Fletcher, a 5'-9"point guard grad student transfer from Georgia Tech. 

It's taken Kellie Harper a few years to get the team from Rocky Top back into national contention, but believe you me - they're back. She went shopping in the Transfer Portal and has basically, rebuilt her team. 

1. Rickea Jackson is a 6'-2" senior forward transfer from Mississippi State. Is she good? She's better than good. She's All American good. Last season she averaged 20 points and 7 rebounds per game. She's quick and explodes off the floor. 

2. Jillian Hollingshead is a 6'-5" sophomore forward transfer from Georgia. As a freshman she played behind their All SEC post player Jenna Staiti. Averaged 12 minutes, 5 points and 4 rebounds. She's mega-talented and athletic. 

3. Jasmine Franklin is a 6'-1" grad student forward transfer from Missouri Valley. She was obviously their best player in the two tournament games we played them in recent years.

4. Jasmine Powell is a 5'-6" senior point guard transfer from Minnesota. Last season she averaged 6 assists and 5 points per game. She's the veteran point guard Kellie needed to pull all this talent together.

Among her starters from last year

1. Jordon Horston a 6'-2" senior guard is back from injury which caused her to miss most of last season.  She was the team's leading scorer before getting injured. Kellie Harper says this season she's better than ever.

2. Tamari Key, their 6'-6" post player decided to return for her fifth season because she knew she needed more seasoning before entering the WNBA draft. She's been an up and down player during her career, but this could be her big year. She's long both in physique and experience. 

The Vols will be a great challenge for the Cardinal. If the tournament goes as Charlie Creme predicts - we're playing both our semi-final and our championship game opponents in the pre-season. Let's beat'em both!     

LET'S GO STANFORD!!

 

NEXT SEASON HALEY JONES WILL EMERGE AS THE NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR!

Since I'm in the "Preview" blog business, my most significant predictions for next season are that Stanford will once again finish the season as National Champions and Haley Jones will emerge as the National Player of the Year. From day one she'll be the point-forward, running the best offense in the country - making sizzling bounce passes to numerous cutters each game and high-velocity zingers to shooters, hitting them in hands ready to deliver three after three.

I'm well aware that Aliyah Boston of South Carolina has pretty much already been given this award for next season and that she plays on the East Coast under the constant adoration of the eastern sports writers. But I'm predicting that after Stanford's defeat of the Gamecocks in December in Maples - and then again in the Final Four in April of 2023, the women's basketball establishment will be forced to recognize Haley Jones as the best player in America.

Her own offense will be much like her best games of the past three seasons, but next season she'll start out with a dialed-in three-point-shot - swishing over 40%. The magic of her game around the basket will be better then ever, and her pull-up from 15' will be softer quicker and unstoppable. Her free-throws will fall at a rate pushing 90% and she'll average 25 points per game and 10 assists.

But, perhaps the biggest change will be her Lexiesque defense - the result of a conditioning level that will propel her to the number one spot in the WNBA draft next April. Her motor will be turned up several notches on defense resulting in steals and deflections that turn into tons of fast-break points next season. 

Her season-long Steph Curry dribbling drills will result in a lower profile dribbling position, fewer turnovers, and the more rapid ball movement when she dribbles will lead to even quicker one-handed passes off the dribble - using her remarkable hand-eye coordination and peripheral vision.

She'll end the season on the first string of every All American team in the land and again be given The Key to the City by Santa Cruz, CA her home town (and mine.)

Don't delay in putting down your season ticket deposit. This will be a season you'll want to witness in person. Get on the bandwagon!

COME ON STANFORD! LET'S WIN IT ALL - AGAIN!