Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Falls To No. 4 Stanford, Ogwumike Sisters
December 18, 2011 | Women's Basketball
The next women's basketball game on the Stanford shedule is long since sold out, and why wouldn't it be, since it matches the Cardinal and Tennessee Tuesday night at Maples Pavilion.
In women's basketball, those two names are up there with UConn as the elite of the elite, from the time the women's game first began to take off right up until the present.
Stanford, the fourth-ranked team in the country and a participant in the last four NCAA Final Fours, returned from exam break Saturday to take on a Princeton team that is building a tradition of its own as an annual NCAA tournament participant and top Mid-Major. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Stanford had too many weapons, especially weapons named "Ogwumike," and the result was an 85-66 Cardinal win that hardly had Tiger coach Courtney Banghart depressed.
"They are as good as advertised," said Banghart, whose team is 7-4 with three of the losses to nationally ranked teams. "They're No. 4 in the country for a reason. They've been to four straight Final Fours for a reason. We gave them all they could handle on their home court. We're proud of ourselves."
A quick glance at Stanford's season stats is enough to get the point across: Stopping the Ogwumike sisters is not going to be easy.
The two were even more impressive against Princeton in person than they were on paper leading up the game. Senior Nnemkadi Ogwumike and her sophomore sister Chiney combined for 43 points on 18 for 24 shooting along with 21 rebounds, numbers that seem outrageous but are actually only a little better than an average day fro the two.
"Our game plan was to defend the interior out, knowing that the Ogwumikes account for 48% of their offense," Banghart said. "Defensively, I thought we did a really good job. Offensively we never stopped attacking. We never quit."
Princeton hung tough through the first half, trailing by two at 32-30 with 4:33 to go and by seven at intermission. Stanford was able to build it to double figures early in the second and then held off any Princeton chance to get back into it.
Princeton was led by 16 points apiece from California natives Lauren Edwards and Niveen Rasheed. Like point guard Lauren Polansky (five points, six rebounds), Rasheed was playing within 60 miles of her home.
Nicole Hung, like Edwards from Los Angeles, had 10 points for Princeton as well.
The Tigers complete their California swing Monday at Santa Clara.