STANFORD — It’s virtually a provided that the No. 1 seeds will beat the No. 16 seeds within the NCAA Event.
But when Stanford wanted any reminder of why it’s not a assure forward of its matchup with Sacred Coronary heart on Friday, ESPN gave the present gamers a historical past lesson in its Choice Present.
Simply after the ultimate bracket was unveiled, ESPN displayed the all-time document for the groups seeded No. 1, 2 and three within the girls’s match: 335-1.
That one? It was 25 years in the past Tuesday, when No. 1 seed Stanford misplaced to No. 16 seed Harvard in 1998.
Present Stanford senior Hannah Bounce mentioned she had “no thought” in regards to the truth and junior Cameron Brink didn’t appear to know, both. Although it’s comprehensible in a single sense: None of Stanford’s present gamers have been born when that sport occurred.
Senior Francesca Belibi did say she knew about that loss earlier than this week, if solely as a result of she’s seen it earlier than on the choice present.
“They put that graphic up each time, and each time, I’m like, ‘Ooof,’” Belibi mentioned on Friday.
VanDerveer made certain to notice that the circumstances across the 1998 sport have been “fairly extraordinary.” Again then, star senior guard Vanessa Nygaard tore her ACL within the ultimate sport of the common season, simply earlier than the Choice Present. Then, after the Cardinal acquired a No. 1 seed, beginning ahead Kristin Folkl tore her ACL within the first follow after saying Nygaard’s damage.
Enjoying with out both key participant in opposition to a Harvard crew that many felt was underseeded, future WNBA first-round choose Alison Feaster had 35 factors and 13 rebounds to steer the Crimson to the 71-67 win. It was the one time in both the boys’s or the ladies’s match that a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1 till UMBC beat Virginia within the males’s match in 2018.
That “fairly extraordinary” scenario shouldn't be duplicated right here, however there are nonetheless classes to remove.
“You’ve acquired to play it — you don’t go right into a sport with a No. 1 seed and get a 20-point head begin,” VanDerveer mentioned. “You’ve acquired to return out, play the entire sport and also you’ve acquired to play very well. And our crew understands that.”
Stanford’s expertise within the NCAA Event ought to assist them right here, with the important thing members of the Cardinal all enjoying within the twelfth match sport of their careers on Friday. However that reminder from ESPN can nonetheless reinforce the duty at hand.
“Our objective now's to not let that occur once more, so we’re going to return in tomorrow able to go,” Bounce mentioned.
Getting ready for a star guard
Six of the Stanford gamers and a lot of the teaching employees have been in Maples Pavilion on Wednesday night time to observe Sacred Coronary heart beat Southern 57-47 in a First 4 sport.
Belibi and Bounce have been each in attendance and mentioned it felt unusual to be within the constructing with out enjoying within the sport themselves.
“I acquired to go away and go to the concession stands and use my scholar ID, and I used to be like, ‘That's so bizarre, I’ve by no means completed that right here,’” Belibi mentioned. “It was cool simply to be part of a sport the place I’m simply right here as a basketball fan and simply watch and benefit from the setting.”
Whereas they solely acquired to take pleasure in Southern’s world-famous Human Jukebox band for one night time, they are going to now face Sacred Coronary heart’s star freshman Ny’Ceara Pryor, who each VanDerveer and Bounce referred to as the “engine of their crew.”
Listed at 5-foot-3, the guard swept all three participant of the 12 months awards within the Northeast Convention – Participant, Defensive Participant and Freshman – and helped the Pioneers attain the NCAA Event for the primary time in 11 years.
She practically had a triple-double within the First 4 sport, tallying 11 factors, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Stanford freshman guard Talana Lepolo was additionally on the sport and is more likely to be guarding Pryor.
“We love some smaller participant illustration, in order that’s nice,” mentioned Lepolo, who's 5-foot-7. “From what I noticed yesterday, she was quick, acquired to the rim, so undoubtedly I feel the sport plan will simply be to beat her to the home.
“I feel, for us, the smaller guards can invite them to our greater buddies within the paint. I feel we now have the benefit inside, so getting them contained in the paint and making them shoot over our greater ladies is certainly the place I feel we will have a bonus.”
VanDerveer referred to as Pryor a “terrific participant,” however she’s hoping her personal freshmen guards in Lepolo and Indya Nivar are able to take her on.
“If I’m a freshman enjoying in opposition to one other freshman, I would wish to say, ‘Okay, I’m not going to let a freshman outplay me,’” VanDerveer mentioned. “So I hope there’s slightly motivation from Talana, or perhaps Indya, to say, all proper, she’s nice, however that is our home, that is our fitness center. Slightly delight.
“I feel it’s going to be a fantastic matchup.”
Sacred Coronary heart is aware of it’s a frightening activity forward of them, with coach Jessica Mannetti answering a query about which matchup she’s most involved about with, “All of them.” However the Pioneers have
“They’re excited in regards to the alternative to have a David vs. Goliath second,” Mannetti mentioned. “We’ve been proving individuals mistaken the complete season … I feel it’s a fantastic alternative. Wouldn’t that be a narrative to inform in the future? I imply, It’s going to be robust — 40 minutes to play nice basketball in opposition to an unbelievable crew.”
Pryor added, “Why not Sacred Coronary heart?”
Notice
— Stanford’s All-American publish participant Cameron Brink didn’t follow on Thursday, although she is predicted to play on Friday. Whereas the explanation wasn’t given, VanDerveer mentioned some gamers have been coping with a abdomen bug this week.