Stanford Women's Basketball Has a Breakout Star, Despite the Down Year

Feb 10, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; The Stanford Cardinal logo at center court before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the USC Trojans at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Feb 10, 2024; Stanford, California, USA; The Stanford Cardinal logo at center court before the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the USC Trojans at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
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Coming into the 2024-25 season, there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Stanford Cardinal women's basketball program. The team was entering a new conference, with Stanford heading to the ACC, they were welcoming in a new head coach for the first time in decades, and they also lost Cameron Brink to the WNBA as well as Kiki Iriafen to USC. Their third leading scorer, Hannah Jump, also graduated.

How the program would adjust to all of these factors at the same time was certainly a question without an answer. Even as we sit here with the Cardinal holding a 10-9 record overall and a 2-6 record in the ACC, we still don't know for sure how this season will play out.

In their most recent contest against the California Golden Bears at home, they were down by as many as 19, but mounted a huge comeback to get within three points for their final possession. A couple of tying shots didn't go in, and Stanford fell.

While this game added another loss to the docket, it also showed that this team still has some fight, and it came against a ranked opponent. Cal is the No. 22 team in the nation.

No matter how this season ends, whether it's with the Cardinal finding a spot in the NCAA tournament in March, or being on the outside looking in for the first time since 1986-87, one thing is for certain: They have at least one star in the making already on the roster.

That star is sophomore Nunu Agara.

If you have been watching Cardinal basketball, then you're already familiar with Agara's game because it's pretty hard not to notice the work she does on the court. Before the season began, she spoke about wanting to have a breakout season with Stanford, and she has certainly accomplished that goal thus far.

Through 19 games played, Agara is averaging 17.5 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists, all of which are the best on the team. She's also the only member of the Cardinal that is averaging over 30 minutes per game, getting 31.8.

Across the entire ACC, Agara's 17.5 points per game ranks No. 6 overall, and is just over a point more per contest than Olivia Miles of Notre Dame, who is currently being projected as the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA Draft. The likely No. 1 pick, Paige Bueckers of UConn, is averaging 19.4 a game, so Agara is right in the mix with these two talented players in the women's basketball landscape.

The next level for Agara will likely involve hauling in even more rebounds to become dominant in that facet of her game as well. Her 8.1 boards per game ranks No. 8 in the ACC, but doesn't even crack the top-50 across the NCAA rankings. Getting her name on that leaderboard could help to solidify Agara's draft position when it's her time for the next level.

Luckily for Stanford, she has a couple of seasons before she's eligible to head to the WNBA. With Agara's improvement from year one to year two, it's not hard to see the program taking a big step forward in 2025-26 and re-establishing itself as a dominant force in the game.


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Jason Burke
JASON BURKE

Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.