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Stanford runs past Sacred Heart 92-49 into NCAA Second Round – Hoopfeed.com

Stanford runs past Sacred Heart 92-49 into NCAA Second Round – Hoopfeed.com

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March 17, 2023 (Stanford, CA) – Sacred Heart vs. Stanford in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Photos: © Baranduin Briggs, all rights reserved.

Stanford, CA – While No. 16-seeded Sacred Heart had a hot start against the No. 1 seed Stanford in the first round of the NCAA tournament, reality set in after about five minutes, and the Cardinal earned a lopsided 92-49 win over the upstart Pioneers. Stanford (29-5,15-3 Pac-12) played without two players: starting forward Cameron Brink, who missed the game due to a non-Covid illness, and redshirt freshman guard Jzaniya Harriel.

“I thought our team really played with a lot of energy today,” said head coach Tara VanDerveer. “You know, we obviously were without two players, Cameron Brink, and Jzaniya Harriel, but I think everyone stepped up.”

A Hot Start, Then Reality

Coming into the contest, Sacred Heart (19-14,12-4 NEC) had a First Four 57-47 win, beating Southern U. in the tournament’s play-in round on Wednesday. In addition, the program was on a historical journey as a first-timer in the tournament, becoming the only NEC women’s basketball team to win an NCAA tournament contest.

Right off the bat, Pioneers freshman point guard Ny’Ceara Pryor put her team on the scoreboard with a jumper. She struck again less than a minute later, and her teammate, fellow freshman guard Amelia Wood joined with a jumper of her own to give the Pioneers a 6-2 lead. The game was tied before the Sacred Heart led again by four at the 4:55 mark, 11-7. However, that was the most significant lead the visiting team would have as the tables quickly turned when the Cardinal finished the period on a 16-7 run capped with a three-pointer from senior guard Hannah Jump.

“We stayed with Stanford for the first quarter, and that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” said Pryor, the NEC’s MVP and Rookie of the Year.

With a 23-18 lead heading into the second stanza, Stanford had the stage set for a monumental offensive stretch which they executed, outscoring the Pioneers in the ten minutes before halftime.

Despite the fearless play of Pryor, with a stature of 5-3, and key shots from Wood, the Pioneers struggled against a bigger, faster, and deeper roster of players. While Pryor had no trouble getting to the rim against Southern, her production halted when faced with Stanford’s 6-7 freshman center Lauren Betts, 6-5 senior forward Ashten Prechtel, and 6-1 senior…

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