Stanford Women's Basketball Comes Away with a Win Over Syracuse

Mar 10, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans guard McKenzie Forbes (25) dribbles against Stanford Cardinal guard Chloe Clardy (13) in the second half of the Pac-12 Tournament women's championship game at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It was a big night at the office for Stanford women's basketball (12-12, 4-9 ACC). On Thursday night, the Cardinal hosted Syracuse in a big ACC battle, where they came out on top 79-58 to help stay afloat as the push for the NCAA tournament picks up.

Behind a big day from Chloe Clardy, who had a 14 point, 12 assist double-double with no turnovers and four steals, the Cardinal were able to get back into the win column and snap a three-game skid.

Clardy was one of five Stanford players to score in double figures, as Elena Bosgana had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Tess Heal scored 17, Brooke Demetre scored 14 points with nine rebounds and Mary Ashley Stevenson (starting in place of Nunu Agara) scored 12 points.

Leading all game long, the Cardinal got on top of Syracuse early, ahead 27-13 by the end of the first quarter, with Demetre scoring 11 of her points in the opening quarter.

From then on, Stanford's defense became the headliner of the night, holding the Orange to only 6-of-23 shooting from distance. Offensively, the Cardinal shot 10-of-22 from three, while recording 21 total assists. This is a huge improvement in shooting from beyond the arc from their last five games, as the Cardinal had only shot 20-of-94 from three over that span.

Clardy's big night made history for the program in a few ways. First, her 12 assists surpassed a mark that hasn't been done by a Cardinal since Marta Sniezek recorded 13 in a Pac-12 tournament game in 2016.

She also did not turn the ball over once during the game, becoming only the fourth Stanford player, along with Talana Lepolo (2022-23), Sniezek in the 2016 tournament, and Jeanette Pohlen in 2010-2011 to record at least ten assists without a turnover dating back to 2002-03.

In the process, she became the only Power Four player this season to record a 14 point, 12 assist and four steal game and the only DI player to do it against a Power Four/Five opponent since Regan Schenck of Northern Arizona had a game like that against Arizona State in 2022-23.

With the win, the Cardinal will look to build momentum ahead of their next contest when they take on Boston College at home on Sunday, Feb. 16. Tip-off for the game is at 2 p.m. on the ACC Network.