Mississippi
Top-seeded Stanford upset by Mississippi in historic second-round tournament loss
The Stanford Cardinal by no means led. They have been shut, however not shut sufficient, and had 40 minutes to ponder what late March seems like with out Stanford girls’s basketball.
At one level within the fourth quarter they tied the sport, for his or her first time for the reason that first. Then the photographs didn’t fall, and a few by no means occurred in any respect, with turnovers and dropped passes and bobbled balls. Others loitered on the rim, as if unwilling to determine in the event that they’d assist the Cardinal lengthen a difficult season, or cement it in disappointment.
Stanford’s final sport of the yr was at Maples for the primary time since 2007, and Haley Jones and the remainder of the Stanford seniors’ careers closed, however not in the best way they ever wished with a 54-49 loss to Mississippi within the second spherical.
There have been few Candy 16s completely with out Stanford’s presence in girls’s basketball, however particularly prior to now decade-plus; the Cardinal hadn’t misplaced within the second spherical since 2011, and hadn’t dropped a postseason sport at Maples since 2007, after they fell to Florida State.
Stanford trailed on the half solely 4 different instances this season, and went 1-3 in these contests. The Cardinal weren’t a workforce that stormed again; they both gained massive, or they merely didn’t. Of their losses to USC and Washington they have been down all through. Within the Pac-12 defeat to UCLA it was shut all the time, the identical in an time beyond regulation loss to South Carolina.
“Our turnovers harm us,” stated Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer. “They obtained out on the boards however there was some lengthy rebounds after which they obtained
some second photographs. I simply suppose they’re actually a troublesome workforce. I feel they’re much higher than lots of 8-(seed) groups than we have performed earlier than and generally you do not have a very good matchup.”
Cameron Brink, who missed the first-round victory Friday with a abdomen bug and stated she handled feeling winded all through Sunday’s sport, did all she may within the late comeback bid with a 20-point, 13-rebound double-double. Her power within the paint didn’t waver, although Ole Miss clogged the put up and made layups tough. Brink tied the sport together with her tenth consecutive free throw to make it with 1:12 left in regulation throughout a stretch the place the Rebels’ offense went chilly. It was the primary time they didn’t path for the reason that sport was 6-6 within the first quarter.
“I did not suppose we have been going to lose,” Brink stated. “However we did. In fact I believed we have been going to win.”
A turnover and foul led the Rebels to the free-throw line they usually sunk each with 23 seconds to go and the Cardinal trailed by two as soon as extra. The Cardinal tried to search out Hannah Leap within the nook, however gave it proper to Mississippi’s Madison Scott, who Haley Jones instantly fouled.
Stanford didn’t get a shot within the ensuing possession. Jones was doubled, and couldn’t preserve management of the ball. It ended up being the final time she touched the ball with the Cardinal.
“I feel it hasn’t actually hit me but,” Jones stated. “I advised (Ashten Prechtel) within the locker room, ‘I feel I am in shock.’ I do not know when that can hit. It is disappointing however there’s nonetheless issues to be happy with this season.”
Ole Miss head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin harassed how a lot offensive rebounding has been part of the Rebels’ identification this season. It wasn’t simply discuss; the Rebels completed with 20 offensive boards, and although Brink paced a Cardinal second-half effort to slim that hole to 20-12, they may not absolutely escape that deficit. It was solely the fourth time Stanford was out-rebounded this season.
Stanford didn’t rating for the ultimate 6:28 of the primary half and scored simply seven factors within the second quarter. Tormented by turnovers and with no reply for Mississippi’s aggressive protection, Stanford couldn’t chip away regardless of Ole Miss having a 1-for-8 taking pictures droop of its personal.
Hannah Leap lastly snapped the scoring drought 1:30 into the third, however not earlier than Mississippi prolonged its result in double digits. The Cardinal turned the ball over thrice within the first three minutes, giving Ole Miss the prospect to go forward by 12.
The Ole Miss lead saved rising, and Stanford’s season saved inching additional away. They went on one other 5 minute scoreless streak within the third, backdropped by lacking 9 consecutive photographs. Brink made 4 free-throws in that point, however the subject goal-less streak went on for greater than six minutes.
Brink obtained six consecutive Cardinal factors with 4 free-throws and a layup, however the Rebels saved utilizing good possessions to maintain Stanford at bay. Even when the taller Cardinal lineup blocked photographs — ending with 12 blocks — Ole Miss’ tenacity in protecting possession saved it going.
“Our offense actually struggled and when that occurs, then folks attempt to do it by themselves and I noticed that all through the entire sport, VanDerveer stated. “Even when you’re not taking pictures effectively, simply preserve transferring the ball, simply not feeling like you must do it by yourselves, and I feel each Cam and Haley felt, ‘I’ve to do it on my own.’ I feel that is on me.”
The one worse first half of the season for the Cardinal got here in a loss to USC on January 15, after they scored simply 19 factors and didn’t lead at any level. Whereas the Rebels’ protection did problem them in each possession, missed point-blank photographs and sloppy passes made it unimaginable for the Cardinal to chip away.
The Cardinal face a future with out Jones, and with Brink because the workforce’s chief. Brink gutted it out on Sunday, however it didn’t preserve a season going the place Stanford’s lack of taking pictures was uncovered in key moments.
It’s loads to contemplate in an offseason loads longer than Stanford is used to.
“I am not going to fall into the entice of claiming, ‘Wow, we had a horrible season,’” VanDerveer stated.
“I feel that this final month has been actually arduous,” Vanerveer stated. “I do suppose that we attempt to relaxation our workforce as a lot as attainable. However we wanted to be taking part in higher than we’re proper now.”
Attain Marisa Ingemi: marisa.ingemi@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @marisa_ingemi