LAS VEGAS — Cameron Brink scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 4 Stanford into the Pac-12 Tournament title game with a 79-45 victory over Oregon State on Friday.
Stanford will play for the championship Sunday against No. 9 UCLA, who beat No. 11 Arizona in the second semifinal game.
Brink, selected to the conference’s All-Freshman team after averaging 9.8 points on 58.6% shooting and 6.8 rebounds per game this season, finished 9 of 13 from the floor while adding four blocks.
“I liked how aggressive she was,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “She brings great emotion. What wasn’t to like? It was very exciting to see her step up on the big stage and play so well.”
Kiana Williams had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists for Stanford (24-2). Lexie Hull contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, and Hannah Jump added 10 points and five boards.
Aleah Goodman scored 12 points and Taylor Jones pulled down 13 rebounds to lead Oregon State (11-7), which was playing its third tournament game in three days.
“It was obviously a tough game, but you’ve got to take what you’re handed, so we can’t use those circumstances as an excuse,” Goodman said. “Stanford played an unbelievable game. They played a full 40 minutes, and we didn’t.”
When the teams met on Feb. 13, the Beavers challenged Stanford by getting within four midway through the third quarter before the Cardinal pulled away late for an 83-58 victory. Stanford, which improved to 62-9 against Oregon State, wasn’t about to let it get that close Friday.
The game was tied 13-all after one quarter, and the Beavers took the lead briefly when Sasha Goforth drained a 3-pointer five seconds into the second.
Then it was Brink’s turn.
The 6-foot-4 forward from Beaverton, Oregon, scored 11 points, blocked three shots and grabbed two rebounds during a 20-3 run that swung momentum in Stanford’s favor.
Brink’s surge sparked the Cardinal after a rather stagnant first quarter, when they shot 6 for 20 (30%). They improved to 46.7% in the second period.
“I just had fun with it and my teammates found me really well,” Brink said. “(Kiana) had some great passes to me, Lacie (Hull), everyone. I just fed off my teammates’ energy. And it was fun.”
Brink also controlled the paint on the defensive end, shutting down passing lanes and making it difficult for the Beavers to penetrate, forcing them to shoot from the outside. Oregon State couldn’t find its touch, going 3 for 13 (23.1%) from the floor in the second quarter.
“Tonight they made us pay for everything,” said coach Scott Rueck, whose team shot 31% from the field. “And I don’t know if fatigue caught up or what, but obviously it wasn’t a great shooting night for us even when we did get good looks, and you know all those turned into transition points for them.”
The Cardinal outscored Oregon State 19-0 in fast-break points.
Turnovers also plagued the Beavers, who ranked sixth in the league with 14.1 per game but had committed 13 by the end of the third quarter. Oregon State finished with 15, and Stanford outscored the Beavers 18-5 in points off turnovers.
“Our defense really set the tone for the win, and to hold a team that’s that good to 45 points is really saying something,” VanDerveer said. “When you play in our conference, you have to play defense. Everyone on our team is working hard defensively. I know we need them to do that for our team to be successful.”
BIG PICTURE
Oregon State: The Beavers shot a blistering 49.7% from 3-point range in their previous nine games but managed a meager 23.1% (6 for 26) on Friday.
Stanford: Anna Wilson started and played 20 minutes but finished with zero points and four rebounds. Wilson didn’t attempt a field goal. VanDerveer commended Wilson, however, for her stellar play on defense after nabbing four steals.
UP NEXT
Oregon State: Awaits word on an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
Stanford: Will play in Sunday’s Pac 12 final vs. UCLA.
NO. 2 TEXAS A&M 77, LSU 58
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Kayla Wells had 16 points, Alexis Morris added 13 and No. 2 Texas A&M opened the Southeastern Conference Tournament with a 77-58 victory over LSU on Friday.
The Aggies (23-1), who won their first league regular-season title Sunday, advanced to the tournament semifinals for the fourth time in the past five years. They’ll face No. 16 Georgia on Saturday in the semifinals
Khayla Pointer had 26 points for LSU (9-13).
NO. 3 N.C. STATE 68, VIRGINIA TECH 55
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Elissa Cunane scored a season-high 27 points and had nine rebounds to help North Carolina State beat Virginia Tech if the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
Jada Boyd added 13 points off the bench for the second-seeded Wolfpack (18-2). They will face Georgia Tech in the semifinals Saturday.
Elizabeth Kitley had 20 points and nine rebounds for the Hokies (14-9).
NO. 5 LOUISVILLE 65, WAKE FOREST 53
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Freshman Hailey Van Lith scored a season-high 24 points and Louisville beat Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament quarterfinals.
Van Lith made 9 of 15 shots and hit 6 of 10 3-pointers for the Cardinals (22-2). They will face Syracuse on Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Ivana Raca had 13 points for Wake Forest (12-12).
NO. 7 SOUTH CAROLINA 75, ALABAMA 63
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Zia Cooke scored 22 points, Aliyah Boston had 16 points and 13 rebounds and South Carolina beat Alabama in the SEC Tournament.
The Gamecocks (20-4) will play No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday night in the semifinals.
Jordan Lewis had scored 25 points for Alabama (16-9).
NO. 9 UCLA 58, NO. 11 ARIZONA 49
LAS VEGAS — Michaela Onyenwere led the Bruins (16-4) with 24 points as UCLA moves on to face No. 4 Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament title game. UCLA was particularly efficient from the free-throw line, hitting 19 of 23 shots.
Aari McDonald scored 24 points for Arizona (16-5).
NO. 14 TENNESSEE 77, MISSISSIPPI 72
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Rennia Davis matched her career high-with 33 points and had 14 rebounds to help Tennessee beat Mississippi to advance to the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinal.
Rae Burrell had nine of her 18 points in the fourth quarter when Tennessee (16-6) outscored the Rebels 28-15.
Donnetta Johnson had 20 points for Ole Miss (11-11).
NO. 16 GEORGIA 78, NO. 17 KENTUCKY 66
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Jenna Staiti and Maya Caldwell scored 20 points each and Georgia beat Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference tournament quarterfinals.
Georgia (19-5) has won six of its last seven games.
Rhyne Howard had 33 points for Kentucky (17-8).
NO. 24 RUTGERS 71, NO. 22 OHIO STATE 63
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Arella Guirantes scored a career-high 20 points and had 10 rebounds and Rutgers beat Ohio State to take the No. 3 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
Tyia Singleton scored 18 points on 8-for-9 shooting, had 13 rebounds and blocked six shots to help the Scarlet Knights (14-3, 10-3) win their ninth straight.
Braxtin Miller scored 19 points for Ohio State (13-7, 9-7).
NO. 23 MISSOURI STATE 87, EVANSVILLE 54
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Jasmine Franklin and Sydney Wilson had 16 points apiece and Missouri State beat Evansville to open a two-game sert.
The back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Bears (19-2, 15-0) extended their winning streak to 15, their longest since an 18-game stretch during the 2003-04 season.
Abby Feit scored 16 points for Evansville (6-15, 2-14).