University of Oregon
Stanford
No. 3 Stanford Sinks Ducks, 76-45
02/24/05 | Women's Basketball
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) ? Third-ranked Stanford avenged its only conference loss, getting 13 points apiece from Candice Wiggins and Brooke Smith in a 76-45 victory Thursday night over Oregon.
Kristen Newlin added 12 points as the Cardinal (25-2, 16-1 Pac-10) won their 36th straight home conference game.
Andrea Bills scored 13 points to lead Oregon (18-8, 11-6). No one else had more than nine points.
The Ducks handed Stanford its only conference loss on Dec. 29. The Cardinal have won 16 in a row since.
Oregon moved into second place in the Pac-10 after winning six of its previous seven games but was no match for Stanford this time.
The Ducks, who can secure the No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament with a win at Cal on Saturday, fell to 1-18 on Stanford's home court, with the only win in 1987.
"It's disappointing on how we played," Oregon coach Bev Smith said. "We still have our destiny in our own hands."
Oregon was held scoreless the final 4:43 of the first half and the first 3:25 of the second, when Stanford scored 22 straight points in its longest run of the season and led 51-18.
After Bills hit a layup with 16:32 left in the second half, Oregon went dry for another 5:24. The Cardinal took advantage with a 15-0 run.
Overall the Ducks missed 14 of their first 15 shots in the second half.
Stanford did lose starting forward T'Nae Thiel to a sprained left foot with 17:52 remaining to play.
Stanford dominated the boards in the first half by a 20-7 margin while limiting Oregon to a .292 shooting percentage, resulting in the lopsided halftime margin.
"Coming into this game, even though Stanford was in first place, it seemed like the bounty was on our heads, instead of the other way around," said Smith, whose team had defeated the Cardinal the last two times, both at McArthur Court.
The Cardinal made 17 of their first 23 shots (74 percent), including 5-of-6 from long range, to compound Oregon's problems.
Ducks coach Bev Smith substituted liberally ? 11 players saw action ? throughout the half trying to find the right combination.
"They were as physical as they've ever been against us in terms of their post defense and their defensive ability to disrupt and ruin the timing on some of our cuts," Smith said. "We didn't have anybody step up or hit outside shots or create something off the dribble that would hurt them."
The Ducks were within 16-13 with 11:06 left in the half after Eleanor Haring's short jumper. Stanford outscored Oregon 26-5 the rest of the half to take a 42-18 lead into the break.
Oregon leading scorer Cathrine Kraayeveld was held scorless and grabbed just two rebounds in 23 minutes.
"Stanford did a very good job at not giving her any open looks," Smith said. "(Kraayeveld) just wasn't able to, with all her intent, to make it happen. She needs to rebound from this. She's an important part of our team and she's going to lead us against Cal."
The Ducks tipoff Saturday with the Golden Bears at 2 p.m. at Haas Pavilion.
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