In case you haven't see it, here's the write-up on Stanford in the Alamo region from "The Next." I question the comment about not turning the ball over very much, no mention of the brobdingnagian value of Anna or how good Stanford's defense is, but otherwise . . . seems to have a good fix on the team.
The NCAA’s top seed: Can anyone top Stanford?
Need a primer on the Cardinal? They’re good at… well, everything. They won their three Pac-12 Tournament games by an average of 31 points, which included a 34-point win over Oregon State (an 8-seed in the Hemisfair region) and a 20-point win over UCLA (a 3-seed in the Hemisfair) in the title game. Stanford was considered a great team a month ago — the team is playing historically dominant basketball right now.
Stanford shoots the three-ball at one of the best clips in the country. They pound you on the boards and can score inside better than almost any other team, and certainly better than the teams that utilize guards at the rate they do. Their ball movement is a beauty. They don’t turn the rock over. They’ve been on the road for most of its season — it might be a boon to the roster to finally have a chance to settle down in San Antonio. If you think anyone is favored against Stanford, you’re wrong. They’re the top squad for a reason.
Guards Kiana Williams, Haley Jones and Lexi Hull make up a backcourt trio that could lead their team to the Elite 8 just on the weight of their individual strengths. Luckily for Stanford and head coach Tara VanDerveer, they don’t have to — the Cardinal loves to run out lineups that are chock-full of these versatile guards. There isn’t a deeper rotation in the country. Where else is Fran Belibi only playing 15 minutes per game?
Enough about the backcourt, though. In the frontcourt you’ll find freshman sensation and X-factor Cameron Brink. Monday night, Sue Bird said Brink could help bring Stanford to the title game. That’s true — if the freshman can stay on the floor. Brink can get anything she wants in the paint, but she also commits 2.7 fouls per game despite playing just 18.1 minutes per contest. Referees swallow the whistle a little more in March, but Brink will still need to vet up quickly.
The NCAA’s top seed: Can anyone top Stanford?
Need a primer on the Cardinal? They’re good at… well, everything. They won their three Pac-12 Tournament games by an average of 31 points, which included a 34-point win over Oregon State (an 8-seed in the Hemisfair region) and a 20-point win over UCLA (a 3-seed in the Hemisfair) in the title game. Stanford was considered a great team a month ago — the team is playing historically dominant basketball right now.
Stanford shoots the three-ball at one of the best clips in the country. They pound you on the boards and can score inside better than almost any other team, and certainly better than the teams that utilize guards at the rate they do. Their ball movement is a beauty. They don’t turn the rock over. They’ve been on the road for most of its season — it might be a boon to the roster to finally have a chance to settle down in San Antonio. If you think anyone is favored against Stanford, you’re wrong. They’re the top squad for a reason.
Guards Kiana Williams, Haley Jones and Lexi Hull make up a backcourt trio that could lead their team to the Elite 8 just on the weight of their individual strengths. Luckily for Stanford and head coach Tara VanDerveer, they don’t have to — the Cardinal loves to run out lineups that are chock-full of these versatile guards. There isn’t a deeper rotation in the country. Where else is Fran Belibi only playing 15 minutes per game?
Enough about the backcourt, though. In the frontcourt you’ll find freshman sensation and X-factor Cameron Brink. Monday night, Sue Bird said Brink could help bring Stanford to the title game. That’s true — if the freshman can stay on the floor. Brink can get anything she wants in the paint, but she also commits 2.7 fouls per game despite playing just 18.1 minutes per contest. Referees swallow the whistle a little more in March, but Brink will still need to vet up quickly.