THE MATCHUP: Stanford hits the road once again for a game against Wake Forest on Thursday, January 16 at 6 p.m. ET. The broadcast will be led by Evan Lepler, Stan Lewter, and Matison Little on ACCNX, while Brian Brownfield will take care of the radio coverage on GoStanford.com and via the Stanford Athletics app.
THE BREAKDOWN: Stanford ranks fifth nationally in 3-point shooting percentage (.385) … A total of eleven players have successfully made a 3-pointer, with two athletes achieving at least 30 – Brooke Demetre (32), Elena Bosgana (30) … Following a record-setting performance of 18 3-pointers against Le Moyne, the Cardinal shot 14-of-20 (.700) in a victory over Washington State and hit 13 against Gonzaga on November 10 … Nunu Agara stands as one of three underclassmen in the nation with averages of 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists (17.3/8.1/2.3), and is one of four individuals among the top 10 in the ACC for both scoring and rebounding … In the game against Florida State, Elena Bosgana became the second DI player this season to score 21 points, grab 15 rebounds, and dish out six assists in a single game (Yvonne Ejim – Gonzaga) … Entering the 2024-25 season, Stanford was aiming to fill the void left by 59.8 percent of its scoring and 54.4 percent of its rebounding … The Cardinal’s top returning scorer was Bosgana (6.7) and leading rebounder was Demetre (3.6) … Among Stanford’s youthful team, only one player has previously averaged over 20 minutes per game throughout her career (Talana Lepolo) … Stanford was slated seventh in the ACC’s preseason rankings and was outside the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since the 1999-2000 season … Stanford’s recruiting class for 2025, which includes three five-star recruits, holds the No. 3 spot in the espnW HoopGurlz rankings.
VERSUS WAKE FOREST: Of Stanford’s new ACC rivals, Wake Forest is the second team the Cardinal will encounter for the first time. Clemson was the first. Stanford has yet to face Georgia Tech, Miami, or Virginia Tech. This will mark the Cardinal’s sixth game in North Carolina and the first since December 2008 against Duke. Stanford holds a 1-1 record at both NC State and Duke and suffered a loss in the Final Four in 1996 in Charlotte to No. 5 Georgia, with a score of 86-76. The last victory for the Cardinal in the state was against NC State on December 3, 1994, with a score of 78-63.
CURRENT STATUS »
- Stanford broke a rare three-game losing streak by securing an 89-84 victory over Florida State last Thursday, marking the Cardinal’s first win in the ACC.
- The three-game losing streak (Ohio State, SMU, Clemson) was the Cardinal’s first during a single season since January 2001 against Arizona, Oregon State, and Oregon. Stanford hasn’t lost four consecutive games in a season since January and February 1987 against Oregon State, Oregon, USC, and UCLA.
- Stanford’s record of 2-6 in its last eight games indicates a shooting percentage of 41.0 from the field, 33.1 from beyond the arc, and a total of 94 assists against 123 turnovers (0.76 A/TO ratio). Conversely, in the team’s first eight games in November, they boasted a 7-1 record, shot 50.5 percent overall, 44.0 percent from three-point range, and accrued 135 assists against 95 turnovers (1.42 A/TO ratio).
- The team’s 2-6 performance in December and January marks its worst eight-game stretch since the 2000-01 season when it originally went 2-6 from mid-December to mid-January, featuring five road defeats and four losses to ranked teams. This season’s 2-6 sequence also includes five road losses and three against ranked teams (California was unranked when Stanford faced them in Berkeley on December 13).
- Currently, Stanford sits at 42nd in the NCAA NET rankings, considered the first team outside the projected NCAA Tournament field as per ESPN’s latest Bracketology.
- Stanford’s 9-7 record represents the weakest 16-game start for the program since the 2017-18 season, when they also began at 9-7.
- That year, the Cardinal returned 10 letterwinners, yet only two starters from a team that had just achieved its seventh Final Four in the prior decade. Departed were Erica McCall, Karlie Samuelson, and Briana Roberson, seniors who constituted 45 percent of Stanford’s minutes, 46 percent of its scoring, and 35 percent of its rebounds in 2016-17.
- Nevertheless, the Cardinal managed to regroup and after that 9-7 beginning, finished 15-4 across their last 19 contests, resulting in an advancement to its 11th consecutive Sweet 16.
- Stanford has commenced 1-4 in conference play for the first instance since the 1985-86 season, which marked Tara VanDerveer’s inaugural year on The Farm. In the season leading up to the establishment of Pac-10 women’s basketball, the Cardinal lost its initial six Pac-West games, ultimately achieving a 1-7 league record.
- The Cardinal boasts a 9-1 home record this season but remains winless (0-6) away from Maples Pavilion. Along with Rutgers and Houston, Stanford is among the few Power 4 programs without a true road victory this season.
- This season marks the latest Stanford has gone without a true road victory since 2000-01. That year, the Cardinal didn’t secure its first road success until beating California in Berkeley on January 20, with a score of 63-56.
- In home matches, Stanford averages 83.3 points per game on 49.5 percent shooting, including a stellar 42.2 percent from long range. Conversely, during its six defeats away from Maples, the Cardinal has averaged 68.2 points on 39.6 percent shooting, and 34.0 percent from 3-point territory.
- A change was made to Stanford’s starting lineup against Clemson, featuring freshman Shay Ijiwoye and sophomore Chloe Clardy obtaining their inaugural starting roles in the backcourt. Joined by sophomore Nunu Agara in the front line, it was the first occasion Stanford started three underclassmen since February 7, 2020, when sophomores Lacie and Lexie Hull, and freshman Ashten Prechtel played alongside seniors Nadia Fingall and Kiana Williams in the starting lineup against UCLA.
- These three individuals have remained starters for the past three contests, representing Stanford’s longest stretch with three underclassmen in the starting lineup since the Hull sisters and Prechtel began alongside Fingall and Williams for five straight games in January and February 2020.
WHAT’S RETURNING, WHAT’S MISSING »
- As they approached the 2024-25 season, Stanford aimed to substitute the departure of 59.8 percent of its scoring, 54.4 percent of its rebounding, and 42.8 percent of its minutes played from the previous season.
- Elena Bosgana (6.7) was the Cardinal’s top returning scorer, while Brooke Demetre (3.6) stood as its lead rebounder.
- Stanford’s youthful roster contains seven underclassmen, along with only one returning player who has historically averaged more than 20 minutes per game in her career (Talana Lepolo). Notably, Lepolo has been absent for the last 11 games due to a right knee injury.
THREE-POINT EXPERTISE »
- The Cardinal holds the fifth-best 3-point shooting percentage in the nation, converting 38.5 percent (136-of-353). This comes despite only achieving 31-of-120 (.258) over six games against UC Davis, Indiana, Cal Poly, LSU, Ohio State, and NC State. Throughout its other 10 games, the Cardinal surpassed 45 percent (105-of-232; .453).
- Stanford exhibited remarkable accuracy from three-point territory during the first three matches of the season. Following the record-setting performance of 18 3-pointers in the opener against Le Moyne, the Cardinal shot 14-of-20 (.700) in a win over Washington State and succeeded in making another 13 against Gonzaga on…
- As of November 10.
- Eleven unique athletes have successfully made a 3-pointer, with two having achieved a minimum of 30 – Brooke Demetre (32), Elena Bosgana (30).
- Only Tennessee, Kansas State, California, and Kentucky have a greater number of players with at least 30 successful 3-pointers, each boasting three. However, the Lady Vols have attempted 223 more 3-pointers (576) compared to Stanford, 34 more than Kansas State (387), 130 more than California (483), and 77 more than Kentucky (430).
- Tess Heal, who has a career shooting percentage of 31.5 percent from beyond the arc at Santa Clara, is currently 15-of-29 this season (.517).
- Chloe Clardy is 13-of-34 (.382) this year, a notable improvement from her freshman year where she scored 2-of-20 (.100).
- In the previous season, Jzaniya Harriel was 32-of-81 from beyond the arc (.395) over 34 games. This season, she’s 22-of-50 (.440), and 13-of-37 (.351) on two-point attempts. Throughout her career, 67.0 percent of her baskets have been from long range. She maintains a career shooting percentage of 39.9 percent from three (59-of-148), but only 31.5 percent on two-pointers (29-of-92).
- In the matchup against Washington State and in records available since 2002-03, Stanford’s 3-point shooting percentage (.700) represented its finest when making at least 20 attempts, surpassing a 13-of-20 (.650) performance against Washington State on January 2, 2004. The Cardinal became the 15th team in Division I to achieve a shooting percentage of at least 70.0 percent on 20 or more attempts in the past 23 seasons, and the first since South Dakota went 19-of-27 (.704) in a victory over Midland Lutheran on November 7, 2022. It was not accomplished against a Division I opponent since Valparaiso achieved 15-of-20 (.750) at Southern Illinois on February 27, 2021.
DILIGENT DEVELOPMENT »
- One year following Kiki Iriafen being recognized as the nation’s most improved player, Nunu Agara has made a significant advance and ranks among the NCAA’s most improved athletes this season. After averaging 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds as a freshman, she is now contributing 17.3 points (+11.9) and 8.1 rebounds (+5.2) per game in her sophomore year.
- Since the 1999-2000 season, Iriafen has reported the largest improvements at Stanford, advancing from 6.7 points per game as a sophomore to 19.4 as a junior (+12.7) in 2023-24, along with increasing her rebounds from 3.8 per game to 11.0 (+7.2).
- Ranking eighth in the conference in scoring and rebounding, Agara is among three underclassmen in the nation averaging 17/8/2. The other two are sophomore Khamil Pierre from Vanderbilt (22.4 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 2.1 apg) and sophomore Ashley Sofilkanich from Bucknell (19.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.5 apg).
- Along with Agara and Pierre, three additional major conference players are averaging 17/8/2 this season: TCU’s Sedona Prince (18.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 2.1 apg), Wisconsin’s Serah Williams (18.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.5 apg), and UCLA’s Lauren Betts (19.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.4 apg).
- Only four other athletes in Stanford’s history have averaged 17/8/2 – Cameron Brink in 2023-24 (17.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2.8 apg), Kiki Iriafen in 2023-24 (19.4 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.3 apg), Nicole Powell in both 2003-04 (20.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.1 apg) and 2002-03 (18.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.8 apg), and Val Whiting in 1991-92 (18.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.0 apg).
- The last ACC player to maintain an average of 17/8/2 for an entire season was Elizabeth Kitley from Virginia Tech in 2020-21 (18.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.0 apg).
- Agara is one of four ACC players ranked in the league’s top 10 in both scoring and rebounding, alongside Haley Cavinder (Miami), Khadija Faye (Pitt) and Makayla Timpson (Florida State).
- Agara achieved career bests with 29 points and 13 rebounds during Stanford’s overtime defeat against No. 5 LSU on December 5, shooting 75.0 percent from the field (12-of-16). According to Sports Reference, she is the fifth Division I player since 2002-03 to record 29 points and 13 rebounds in a genuine road game against an AP top five opponent and the only one to do so while shooting more than 60.0 percent.
- 11/21/21: NaLyssa Smith (Baylor) at No. 3 Maryland (30 pts, 15 rebs, .560 fg%)
- 1/24/21: Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech) at No. 2 NC State (30 pts, 13 rebs, .591 fg%)
- 12/22/13: Crystal Bradford (Central Michigan) at No. 4 Notre Dame (30 pts, 13 rebs, .429 fg%)
- 11/19/08: Alysha Clark (MTSU) at No. 2 Oklahoma (31 pts, 16 rebs, .444 fg%)
BOSGANA’S BIG DAY »
- Elena Bosgana achieved a career-high 26 points without missing a shot, leading Stanford to an 84-54 victory over visiting UC San Diego on November 29.
- Bosgana scored her 26 points on a flawless 10-of-10 shooting, including 5-of-5 from beyond the arc, equaling the school record for highest single-game field goal percentage (minimum 10 attempts). Kim Kupferer was 11-of-11 from the floor during a matchup with Pacific on January 24, 1981.
- The senior also contributed six rebounds, three assists, and four steals in her 30 minutes on the court. The only “flaw” in her otherwise impeccable performance was a missed free throw in the third quarter.
- According to Sports Reference, Bosgana is only the sixth Division I player since 2002-03 to be flawless from the field while attempting at least 10 total field goals and five 3-pointers, and the first since South Dakota State’s Tagyn Larson on February 13, 2019 against Omaha (11-of-11, 5-of-5).
- She also became the fourth Stanford player to maintain perfection on 3-pointers with a minimum of five attempts, alongside Jennifer Azzi (7-of-7 vs. Eastern Michigan on December 29, 1989), Joslyn Tinkle (5-of-5 vs. Michigan on March 26, 2013), and Lauren St. Clair (5-of-5 vs. UCLA on February 3, 2000).
- In the game against Florida State on January 9, Bosgana achieved her second consecutive double-double with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists, becoming only the second player in the nation this season to accomplish such statistics in a game. Gonzaga’s Yvonne Ejim recorded 26 points, 17 rebounds, and eight assists during a win over New Mexico on November 24.
AP POLL »
- One week after re-entering the AP Top 25 at No. 24, Stanford dropped out following its defeat at Indiana.
- When Stanford was ranked on November 11, Kate Paye became the 16th individual to both play and serve as a head coach for an AP-ranked team at the same institution (H/T Mel Greenberg).
- The Cardinal was predicted to finish seventh in the ACC preseason poll and was excluded from the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 1999-2000. Since making its initial rankings appearance on November 23, 1987, Stanford had been included in the preseason Top 25 every season except one (1999-00).
- Before this season’s preseason poll released on October 15, Stanford had been ranked in 123 consecutive AP polls since January 29, 2018, marking the third-longest active streak in the nation.
- The Cardinal holds the position of the second-most ranked team of all-time, appearing in 646 of 875 all-time AP polls over 49 seasons (Tennessee – 784).
FIRST CLASS »
- Kate Paye’s inaugural recruiting class as head coach consists of three five-star recruits and two four-stars according to espnW HoopGurlz, with four ranked in that outlet’s top 100.
Player | HoopGurlz Rank | Stars | Ht./Pos. |
Hailee Swain | 9 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5-11 • G |
Lara Somfai | 16 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 6-4 • F |
Alex Eschmeyer | 31 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 6-5 • F |
Nora Ezike | 84 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 6-2 • F |
Carly Amborn | — | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 6-2 • G/F |
- The class commenced with Swain’s commitment in July 2022 and concluded with Somfai’s announcement on the morning of November 13. The group has been rated No. 3 by espnW HoopGurlz.
- Stanford’s three five-star recruits rank second to LSU (4) and represent the program’s most since having four in the 2019 Class (Haley Jones, Ashten Prechtel, Fran Belibi, Hannah Jump). That group achieved a national championship as sophomores.