Stanford already had the impressive national ranking and remarkable home winning streak — and, now, the No. 1 spot in the poll puts even more attention and pressure on the program.
Chiney Ogwumike had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the top-ranked Cardinal beat Long Beach State, 77-41, on Sunday in their first game holding the top place in women’s basketball in nearly eight years.
Joslyn Tinkle added 18 points and seven rebounds and Amber Orrange scored Stanford’s first seven points of the game and finished with 13 for the Cardinal (6-0), who extended the nation’s best home winning streak to 81 games at Maples Pavilion.
“I don’t think it changed much for us. If anything it motivated us more,” Tinkle said. “It took a lot out of us. We were at fault, we were sluggish at times. From here on out, no one’s going to hand us the game, hand us the win. We’re doing all we can, clawing to hold that title. Our target’s growing bigger, and bigger and we want to keep it there.”
Orrange also had nine assists — two shy of her career best — and grabbed seven rebounds, regularly looking to find Ogwumike in the paint. Ogwumike powered to the basket on the block to draw quick fouls on the 49ers post players.
Alex Sanchez scored 14 points but was her team’s lone player in double figures as cold-shooting Long Beach State (3-4) lost its sixth in a row to the Cardinal in the series.
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