STANFORD – The whispers about an ignoble piece of Stanford basketball history started early Sunday as the top-seeded Cardinal women struggled against 16th-seeded Tulsa in an NCAA Tournament opener at Maples Pavilion.
In 1998, Stanford lost to Harvard in the first round to become the only top-seeded team, men's or women's, to fall to a No. 16 seed.
But history didn't repeat as Chiney Ogwumike and Amber Orrange led the Cardinal to a 72-56 victory in the Spokane Regional.
Ogwumike had 29 points and eight rebounds, and Orrange had 14 points and six rebounds.
Stanford (32-2) faces eighth-seeded Michigan (22-10) on Tuesday. The Wolverines shot 61.9 percent in the second half of a 60-52 win over ninth-seeded Villanova (21-11).
The Cardinal was lethargic in the opening minutes as the Golden Hurricane (17-17) made three early steals. It was 24-24 at halftime.
But Orrange took over the offense as Stanford went on a 16-3 run early in the second half.
Coach Tara VanDerveer switched strategies in the second half, asking Orrange what she wanted to run.
"This team for us has been really challenging in that all season long I call it cooking spaghetti," VanDerveer said. "We take spaghetti and we throw it up on the wall and see if it sticks. If it works, we just stay with that."
Orrange made 5 of 9 shots, including her only three-point attempt with 3:21 left that stopped Tulsa's final charge.
Baylor 82, Prairie View A&M 40 in Waco, Texas – Brittney Griner had 33 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks and another dunk, and the defending champion and No. 1 overall seed Lady Bears (33-1) routed the Lady Panthers (17-15) in the Oklahoma City Regional.
Tuesday, Baylor meets eighth-seeded Florida State (23-9), a 60-44 winner over ninth-seeded Princeton (22-7).
Notre Dame 97, Tennessee-Martin 64 in Iowa City, Iowa – Jewell Loyd scored 27 points as the top-seeded Irish (32-1) overpowered the Skyhawks (19-15) in the Norfolk Regional.
Tuesday, Notre Dame faces ninth-seeded Iowa (21-12), a 69-53 winner over eighth-seeded Miami (21-11).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.
• Read more articles by San Jose Mercury News
Order Reprint
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "Report Abuse" link below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.