[81alum]

Preview:

We complete a home-and-away with Portland, having defeated them at Maples last year 77-55.  Portland was a good team last year, as is clear from the not-so-blowout character of our win.  They went 20-11, lost in the finals of their league tournament, went to the NIT and lost to Oregon State in the second round. 

So far this year Portland is off to a good start, having defeated Willamette and Hawaii in convincing fashion. 

Maisie Burnham is averaging nearly 20 ppg.  Last year she scored 12 against us.  She is a 6' sophomore guard hitting 61% of her shots this year, including 4/5 from three point range.

Alex Fowler is averaging nearly 18 ppg, averaged 17 ppg a year ago.  Last year she scored 13 against us.  She is a 6'2" junior forward from Australia hitting 53% of her shots and also leading the team in assists.  Since she is their main inside presence, I imagine those assists mean she passes out from the paint to sharpshooters.

Liana Kaitu'u is averaging 13 ppg.  She is a 6' junior shooting 80%, all from inside.

I think that Portland is probably the best team we will have played so far, ranked 87 by Massey for what little that is worth at this stage of the season.  For comparison, Pacific is 131, Northridge 245, SDSU 169.

Portland has some size, starting with starters 6'6 COCHRANE and 6'2 FOWLER. Then off the bench, 
they can also bring in 6'3 SEWELL and 6'7 CONDRON.  Incidentally, all of their post players
are Australian.  This should provide practice versus good size for Stanford's bigs.

My wife and I will be there (near the Stanford bench) to watch the game.  It is absolutely essential that Haley and Cam must find ways to dominate and impose their will on a very good team.  In 4 games, neither of our All-Americans has performed at an elite level that they have demonstrated in past seasons.  Part of it must rest on their shoulders, but a big part of it is they are in new positions (Haley a PG and Cam a 3), that they are not yet comfortable in and therefore not able (yet) to take advantage of their unique skill sets.

What would be wrong with this lineup?  Keeps Jones out of the pg role and keeps Brink a little closer to the basket.  Of course it requires that we play a freshman at PG.  South Carolina is using a redshirt freshman there....I bet Tara doesn't want to start a freshman in a high stakes game, but she could start Jones at pg and then move her over to a more natural position by inserting Lepolo later after the game calms down a little.
5. Iriafen / Betts / Belibi
4. Brink (stretch 4) / Prechtel
3. Jones / Demetre
2. Jump / Bosgana
1. Lepolo / Nivar / Harriel

[81alum]

Preview:

We complete a home-and-away with Portland, having defeated them at Maples last year 77-55.  Portland was a good team last year, as is clear from the not-so-blowout character of our win.  They went 20-11, lost in the finals of their league tournament, went to the NIT and lost to Oregon State in the second round. 

So far this year Portland is off to a good start, having defeated Willamette and Hawaii in convincing fashion. 

Maisie Burnham is averaging nearly 20 ppg.  Last year she scored 12 against us.  She is a 6' sophomore guard hitting 61% of her shots this year, including 4/5 from three point range.

Alex Fowler is averaging nearly 18 ppg, averaged 17 ppg a year ago.  Last year she scored 13 against us.  She is a 6'2" junior forward from Australia hitting 53% of her shots and also leading the team in assists.  Since she is their main inside presence, I imagine those assists mean she passes out from the paint to sharpshooters.

Liana Kaitu'u is averaging 13 ppg.  She is a 6' junior shooting 80%, all from inside.

I think that Portland is probably the best team we will have played so far, ranked 87 by Massey for what little that is worth at this stage of the season.  For comparison, Pacific is 131, Northridge 245, SDSU 169.

Portland has some size, starting with starters 6'6 COCHRANE and 6'2 FOWLER. Then off the bench, 
they can also bring in 6'3 SEWELL and 6'7 CONDRON.  Incidentally, all of their post players
are Australian.  This should provide practice versus good size for Stanford's bigs.

My wife and I will be there (near the Stanford bench) to watch the game.  It is absolutely essential that Haley and Cam must find ways to dominate and impose their will on a very good team.  In 4 games, neither of our All-Americans has performed at an elite level that they have demonstrated in past seasons.  Part of it must rest on their shoulders, but a big part of it is they are in new positions (Haley a PG and Cam a 3), that they are not yet comfortable in and therefore not able (yet) to take advantage of their unique skill sets.

What would be wrong with this lineup?  Keeps Jones out of the pg role and keeps Brink a little closer to the basket.  Of course it requires that we play a freshman at PG.  South Carolina is using a redshirt freshman there....I bet Tara doesn't want to start a freshman in a high stakes game, but she could start Jones at pg and then move her over to a more natural position by inserting Lepolo later after the game calms down a little.
5. Iriafen / Betts / Belibi
4. Brink (stretch 4) / Prechtel
3. Jones / Demetre
2. Jump / Bosgana
1. Lepolo / Nivar / Harriel