When NCAA play begins for the Stanford
Cardinal on Saturday, March 20 in Tempe, AZ, fans across the
nation will see a team seeking respect from fellow coaches and
media outlets. Forgotten are the two NCAA titles and six
trips to the Final Four that were achieved from 1990 to
1997. Instead, the only thing that lingers in the minds of
coaches and fans everywhere is the label
“underachievers,” as Stanford has failed to advance
past the second round in six out of the last seven seasons.
Despite winning this year’s Pac-10 regular season and
tournament titles, Stanford earned a surprisingly low sixth seed
in the Midwest Regional bracket. The players know that the
only way to gain some respect back is by winning games and
advancing to New Orleans, where the Final Four will be
held. And the first step in accomplishing this goal will be
to beat the battle-tested Missouri Tigers from the powerful Big
XII Conference.
Cindy Stein and her Missouri Tigers will
make their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament under her
six-year tenure. The only other time a Stein-coached Missouri
squad made it to the Big Dance was in 2001. However, they made
the most out of their opportunity by upsetting third-seeded
Georgia in the second round in the East Regional and getting to
the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in school history. Stein is
a talented young coach whose teams are known for employing an
up-tempo offense while playing tenacious defense. Despite some
early injuries to key players this year, Stein has led Missouri
to a respectable 17-12 record, including a sixth place finish in
the Big XII Conference, the toughest conference in the nation.
The undisputed leader of the Tigers is
senior forward Evan Unrau. A native of Fort Collins, CO, Unrau is
the Big XII’s most versatile player, as her 6’1”
frame allows her to post up inside or step outside and hit the
jumper. She runs the floor well and plays great hustle defense.
She leads Missouri in scoring and rebounding, at 17.7 points and
9.0 rebounds a game. Unrau also leads the Big XII with 14
double-doubles, including an incredible performance in an
overtime loss to Kansas State, where she registered 40 points and
15 rebounds. She will be the primary focus of Stanford’s
defensive schemes, as she could conceivably pull of an Allison
Feaster-like performance and spoil Stanford’s post-season
plans.
While Mizzou relies on Unrau for points and
rebounds, the Tigers also look to a strong supporting cast to get
the “W” at the end of the game. Stretch James is the
agile frontcourt mate of Unrau and she brings athleticism and
quickness to the paint. The 6’2” power forward is a
former JUCO All-American and has flourished under Stein’s
guidance. This season, she is averaging 14.0 points and 6.9
boards. James is also a huge defensive presence in the post as
she averages 2.3 blocks a game. Center Megan Roney completes the
Tigers' starting post rotation, as she contributes 4.3 points and
3.5 rebounds a game. The 6’3” junior is also a solid
shot blocker who runs well down the floor. Missouri’s post
depth will increased with the welcome addition of Melanie Fisher.
The 6’2” senior was a starter at the beginning of the
year, but sustained a back injury on January 31 and hasn’t
played since. However, she started practicing with the team again
this week, although Stein is not sure if Fisher will get a chance
to play against the Cardinal. Fisher is the Tigers' best post
defender and having her out on the floor would certainly help
against Stanford’s great post players.
The Tigers' backcourt is patrolled by the
dynamic and athletic duo of LaToya Bond and MyEsha Perkins. Bond
missed five weeks midway through the season with a broken foot,
but since returning, the 5’7” point guard has added
energy and toughness to the Tiger squad. She leads Missouri in
assists, at 4.6 a game, while chipping in 10.5 points a contest.
Her quick hands make her a dangerous defender, as she averages a
team high 2.0 steals a game. Perkins is a 5’9” guard
who is averaging 10.3 points a game and is known to put up points
inside as well as outside. She missed the beginning of the season
due to academic issues, but has worked her way into the starting
line-up. She’s a terrific slasher who can penetrate into the
lane for the easy deuce. Perkins is also an excellent three-point
shooter, hitting 43.6% of her shots from beyond the arc. Another
guard who gives solid minutes off the bench is senior Tracey
Lozier, who averages 8.5 points and 3.8 assists a game. She is a
solid defender and ballhandler, but her main trademark is her
ability to make the three. This season Lozier became
Missouri’s all-time record holder for made threes and she
hits 1.55 threes a game. Her one downside is that she is a
streaky shooter, hitting 32.1% from beyond the arc. However, if
Lozier heats up early on in the game, she will be dangerous.
Missouri is a team full of grit and
determination. Though they finished only 17-12 for the season,
they possessed a strength of schedule that ranked among the
nation’s Top 10. As a member of the Big XII Conference, the
Tigers were guaranteed to play tough games night-in and
night-out. The rough road through the conference has toughened
the Tigers and they are eager to pull an upset in the first
round. And in order to do so, Stein has to figure out a way to
contain Stanford’s Nicole Powell.
The most versatile player in the country,
Powell enters the NCAA Tournament with a chip on her shoulder.
Although few disagree that she is one of the most talented
players to ever don a Cardinal uniform, many wonder if she can
lead her team to the promise land and a berth to the Final Four.
No matter how many double-doubles Powell accomplishes - no matter
how many game winning shots she makes - her legacy will start
with how far she took her teams into the Big Dance. Powell will
not only be looking to lead her team to New Orleans, but she will
be looking to erase doubts in her critics' minds and to cement
her legacy at Stanford. The strength behind Powell’s game is
her versatility. She is just as comfortable banging down low with
the big posts as she is outside the three-point line with the
quick guards. She handles the ball like point and rebounds like a
center. The numbers she has put up this season is nothing short
of staggering. Currently, Powell averages 20 points, 11.1
rebounds, 3.8 assists a game. She also is money from the free
throw line, hitting 86.0% of her shots. She is the undisputed
leader of the Stanford Cardinal.
While the Mizzou defense may be focusing on
Powell, opponents will be quick to learn that there are just as
equally talented of players on Stanford’s roster. Stanford
is known to have a potent three-point attack and that charge is
lead by junior Kelley Suminski. The 5’9” guard out of
New Jersey has been inconsistent with her jumper throughout the
season, but has come through for the Cardinal when it really
matters. Down by 11 to UCLA in the Pac-10 Tournament, Suminski
nailed back-to-back three pointers in the second half and
provided the Cardinal with the necessary spark to overcome the
Bruins. In the last 10 games of the season, Suminski helped
Powell shoulder much of the offense load, scoring 13.7 points a
game and connecting on 44.2% of her three-point attempts. Susan Borchardt is another offensive threat that can hurt the
Tigers either from pulling the trigger on the outside or weaving
her way into the paint for the easy bucket. Her quickness allows
her to penetrate deep into the paint on offense and shut down her
opponents on defense. She’s put up solid numbers the whole
year, averaging 8.3 points a content and hitting 43.7% of her
threes, second best on the team. Throughout the season, she has
been a little hesitant on offense, but if she scores early and
often, Stanford will be very difficult to beat. Junior Sebnem Kimyacioglu and sophomore Krista Rappahahn come off the bench to
provide Stanford with more three-point specialists. Although
Kimyacioglu has not been consistent with her stroke all season,
she can make the big shots at any moment and put up points in a
hurry. She also brings a lot of intensity to her defense and is
regarded as one of Stanford’s best defenders. Rappahahn is a
smart player who plays good defense and makes smart decisions
with the ball. She also hits 51.9% of her threes, making her a
deadly weapon of choice if she is open. As solid as
Stanford’s backcourt is, they will also be looking at
it’s post players to make huge contributions if Stanford is
to win.
Leading the charge for Stanford in the post
will be junior T'Nae Thiel. Although she’s an undersized
center at 6’1”, Thiel makes up for her lack in size
with excellent basketball fundamentals and a bruising style of
play. Thiel thrives on contact and does not shy away from a few
bumps and bruises. She is mainly known for her great post
defense, but in recent weeks, she has contributed to the
offensive load. She can score in transition or hit the long
jumper. Freshman Kristen Newlin has been a welcome addition to
the Cardinal squad this year. The combination of size and
athleticism that Newlin displays gives Stanford a dimension that
has been missing in recent years. She sometimes starts out
tentatively in games, but has been known to turn on the
aggression when the game is on the line and this is where Newlin
does her damage. Newlin uses her long arms to her advantage,
either swatting the ball away or using her long arms to snatch
rebounds. She leads the team in blocks (48 on the season) and is
second in rebounding (5.7 per game). Offensively, Newlin has a
variety of moves around the basket and can also face up the
basket and hit jumpers. How Newlin plays will be a strong
indicator of how far Stanford advances in the tournament. Juniors
Azella Perryman and Chelsea Trotter round out Stanford’s
group of post players, as they have provided Stanford with solid
minutes off the bench. Both are hard-nosed players who are
aggressive on both ends of the floor.
Both teams are gunning for respect. Stanford
wants to prove that there are good basketball teams west of the
Mississippi, and Missouri wants to show that they deserve an
invite to the Big Dance, despite finishing in seventh place in
the Big XII Conference. Fans will tout Saturday’s game a
Powell vs. Unrau showdown, but ultimately, the stronger
supporting cast will win the ball game.
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