STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Stanford held N.C. State to 12 points in the first quarter and 13 in the fourth, but a 34-point third quarter from the Wolfpack doomed the Cardinal at Maples Pavilion Sunday in an 81-67 loss.
After leading by six points at halftime, the Wolfpack (12-4, 4-1 ACC) shot 65% in the third quarter, including a 5-for-6 stretch in a closing 9-0 run that gave them a 68-43 lead heading to the fourth quarter. N.C. State kept it going early in the fourth, making 5 of 6 shots in the first four minutes and led by as many as 27 points. The Cardinal held the Wolfpack to a single made basket the rest of the game, but could not overcome the 22-point deficit.
Chloe Clardy had 17 points, Nunu Agara 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Elena Bosgana 14 points for Stanford (9-7, 1-4).
Saniya Rivers had 17 points and 11 rebounds to lead all five Wolfpack five starters in double figures. Aziaha James scored 15, Zoe Brooks 14, Madison Hayes 11 and Tilda Trygger 10.
N.C. State forced 18 turnovers and outscored the Cardinal 23-6 in points off them.
A three-point play by Tess Heal in the final minute of the first quarter gave Stanford an 18-12 lead, but the Wolfpack stormed back with a big finish to the second quarter. Steele hit two 3-pointers and Rivers added a three-point play in a 9-0 run that gave N.C. State a 34-26 lead 45 seconds before halftime. Bosgana scored at the buzzer to make it 34-28 at the break.
Stanford has lost four of its first five games as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference under first-year head coach Kate Paye, who took over for all-time college basketball wins leader Tara VanDerveer. It has only lost five conference games in a season once since 2002 (2014-15).
Both teams head from the Bay Area to the East Coast this week. N.C. State will host Pitt on Thursday while Stanford visits Wake Forest.
