STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - No. 3 Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer challenged her team to play better defense. Statistically, the Cardinal matched her challenge and raised it.
Lacie Hull scored 19 points and No. 3 Stanford coasted to a 90-36 victory over Northern Colorado on Thursday night.
DiJonai Carrington and Haley Jones each added 11 points for the Cardinal (3-0), who have scored at least 90 points in each of their first three games and have held opponents to an average of 44.7.
“Lacie is a big part of our defense,” VanDerveer said. “It was fun to see her get going. She had a great game. The team came out and worked hard.”
Stanford dominated most every category, though VanDerveer was quick to point out a need for more offensive rebounds, even though the Cardinal had an 18-2 advantage in second-chance points.
Fran Belibi added eight points and 13 rebounds, including a team-high three on the offensive boards.
“Fran had a solid game,” VanDerveer said. “The freshmen are getting a lot of help from the upper classmen.”
Freshman Jasmine Gayles scored eight points to lead the Bears (0-3), who fell to 14-26 against the Pac-12. Freshman Kadie Deaton added seven points and Alisha Davis had seven rebounds.
Hull made her first five shots and finished 8 of 11. She also had five rebounds and matched Jones with a team-best three assists.
“I was relaxed and ready to play,” Hull said. “Really I didn’t know how I was doing until afterward.”
The Cardinal scored 90 or more points in three straight games for the first time in nearly 18 years, last recording the feat in January of 2002.
Stanford shot 50% or better in every quarter, finishing 54.4%.
The Cardinal took a 72-33 advantage into the fourth quarter and then held the Bears to 1 of 14 from the field.
Stanford scored the game’s first nine points and it never got better for the Bears, who were 2 of 11 in the second quarter and under 25% at the half.
The Cardinal also went on a 14-0 run in the second quarter, producing a 48-17 advantage.
Stanford led at halftime, 47-22.
INJURY REPORT
Stanford freshman Hannah Jump was relegated to street clothes against the Bears because of a broken nose suffered in practice. She could have played with a mask, the same one Alyssa Jerome used when she broke her nose, but the Cardinal were being cautious. Jump will likely return for Sunday’s game against Gonzaga.
BIG PICTURE
Northern Colorado: Alexis Chapman will likely hold the key to the Bears offensive success. She’s the top returning scorer and had 38 points through the first two games, anchoring a starting five that includes two freshmen. Chapman was 0 of 3 from the field in the first and then hit a 3-pointer on her first attempt of the second half. She finished 1-of-12.
Stanford: Jones, the nation’s top recruit, got her first start and became the third freshman to earn a start for VanDerveer, who continues to experiment with different combinations. Jones scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting and delivered a perfect pass to Lacie Hull for an assist. “Haley looks good in transition and helps us push the ball,” VanDerveer said. “She can also post up and she understands the pace we want to play. She’ll just keep getting better and better.”
UP NEXT
Northern Colorado: The Bears stay on the road and play at Southern Methodist on Saturday.
Stanford: The Cardinal hosts Gonzaga, which is receiving votes, on Sunday.
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