NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – The Oklahoma women's basketball team didn't
let a size mismatch get in the way of a second straight trip to the
NCAA regional semifinals.
|  | | Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale and LaNeishea Caufield revel in their victory over Stanford. |
Stanford had more height at every position, but Oklahoma
outrebounded the Cardinal by 18 and won 67-50 in the second round
of the West Regional on Monday night.
"Every player on our roster is smaller than them," coach
Sherri Coale said. "That should give you some indication of why
I'm so proud of these kids."
The Sooners (28-5) missed their first 14 shots of the second
half, but didn't give up the lead and used a 10-0 run later to take
control for good.
LaNeishea Caufield scored 18 points, Caton Hill had 14 points
and 14 rebounds, and All-America Stacey Dales scored 14 as the
Sooners won in front of a school-record crowd of 11,050.
"You can't be intimidated by height," Dales said. "As you
pound it inside, you draw attention and get kickouts, and that
really allows our guards to do a lot on the perimeter."
Oklahoma, seeded No. 2, will play sixth-seeded Washington in the
regional semifinals Saturday in Spokane, Wash.
Cori Enghusen tied her career high with 14 points and tied a
school record with six of Stanford's 11 blocks. Nicole Powell also
scored 14 for the Cardinal.
Stanford (19-11) played well enough defensively, holding
Oklahoma to 32.8 percent shooting. But the Cardinal only shot 33
percent and couldn't overcome Oklahoma's edge on the backboards.
"To me, rebounding is effort," coach Tara VanDerveer said.
"I'm very disappointed to come in here and not do a better job."
While Oklahoma was misfiring early in the second half, Stanford
was committing six of its 14 turnovers and was only able to cut a
six-point halftime deficit to two.
"We kept our composure. We stayed poised," Caufield said. "We
just kept playing together, working hard, because we believe if we
just keep working together and working hard, something good was
eventually going to happen."
The score was 47-43 when Dales hit a 3-pointer from the top of
the key to start the 10-0 run that gave the Sooners their biggest
lead to that point.
Powell scored consecutive baskets to get Stanford within 10 with
4:57 to play, but the Cardinal got no closer.
Stanford missed its first six shots while Oklahoma went 4-of-7,
including 3-pointers by Caufield and Hill, to take an 11-2 lead.
Stanford started getting the ball inside more effectively and
got back into the game. Enghusen, who at 6-foot-7 is five inches
taller than any Oklahoma player, scored 10 in a seven-minute span
in which Stanford cut the deficit to 28-23.
"It just came down to coming out and being aggressive, and they
came out more aggressive than we did," Enghusen said. "They came
out like they had more confidence then we did and they came out
like they really wanted it."
Stanford has not made it past the second round of the tournament
since 1997.
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ALSO SEE
Women's College Basketball Scoreboard
Stanford Clubhouse
Oklahoma Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 LaNeishea Caufield steps in front of the pass and takes it in for the easy two.
avi: 822 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Rosalind Ross beats the defense down the court for the hoop and the foul.
avi: 782 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jamie Talbert has her shot blocked by the Stanford's 6' 7" center Cori Enghusen.
avi: 770 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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