The Oregon women’s basketball team knew a win against No. 3 Stanford would take a monumental effort.
And now the Ducks understand why.
Stanford (25-2 overall, 16-1 Pacific-10 Conference) shot 63 percent (30 of 48) from the floor Thursday and put Oregon (18-8 overall, 11-6 Pac-10) away early, en route to a 76-45 victory in front of 4,208 fans at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto, Calif.
Looking to avenge its only Pac-10 loss this season, the Cardinal came out on fire offensively, connecting on about 75 percent of its field goals in the first 13 minutes of the game.
“Stanford played an outstanding game,” Oregon head coach Bev Smith said. “They talked a little revenge for the last time (Oregon’s 62-58 victory in Eugene), and they played outstanding. Their defense played very well in the post.”
Oregon dropped its all-time record at Maples Pavilion to 1-18. This season, Stanford has defeated three different Pac-10 teams — Washington State, California, and Southern California — by more than 30 points.
Stanford used a 50-7 run that covered the end of the first and the beginning of the second half to put the Ducks away, who had pulled to within three at the 11:34 mark in the first half, 16-13.
The Ducks shot 29 percent from the field in the first half, while the Cardinal shot 68 percent, including 5 of 7 from the three-point range.
During the 50-7 run, the Cardinal went on a 37-2 streak that started after Oregon freshman Gabrielle Richards hit a three-pointer to pull the Ducks within 11 points, 29-18.
Oregon senior Andrea Bills, the only Duck to post double figures with 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, snapped a streak of 22 straight Cardinal points with a bucket with 16 minutes left in the second half. The Cardinal then added 15 more points, with junior center Brooke Smith adding eight of them during that stretch, to push the Stanford lead to 66-20 with just under 12 minutes to play in the second half.
Stanford’s dominance came from balanced scoring from the Cardinal’s deep and experienced team. During the run, Stanford senior Kelley Suminski connected on her 195th career three-pointer, which puts her seventh on the all-time Pac-10 list.
Oregon senior Cathrine Kraayeveld was held scoreless for the first time in her career at Oregon as a starter. The 6-foot-4 forward went 0 of 4 from the field and added only two rebounds, three turnovers and one personal foul in 23 minutes of play.
“She is a team person and she wants to contribute (to the team),” Smith said of Kraayeveld. “As a player you have to find a way to help the team when you’re not scoring. Stanford knew she was an important player, and we didn’t have a player step up for us.”
In the Ducks’ victory in Eugene, the duo of Kraayeveld and Bills combined for 34 points and 30 rebounds. Last night, they combined for 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Cardinal outrebounded the Ducks 38-21 for the game, collecting 15 more defensive rebounds.
Oregon senior Brandi Davis was the Ducks’ second-leading scorer with nine points on 3-of-10 shooting from the three-point line. Oregon sophomore Jessica Shetters added six points in 16 minutes of play.
For Stanford, Smith and freshman Candice Wiggins led the Cardinal with 13 points. Wiggins also added five rebounds and three assists.
Oregon travels to Berkeley, Calif., for their final Pac-10 game of the season when they take on Cal at 2 p.m. on Saturday. A win for the Ducks would clinch second place in the Pac-10.

[email protected]