Stanford Cardinal
Overall Rank: #8
Conference Rank: #1 Pac-12
Stanford lost three starters from the team that reached the Final Four last year, but as usual Coach Tara VanDerveer is ready to reload. The Cardinal bring in another fine recruiting class, led by Kiana Williams and Maya Dodson, but it is not just about the newcomers. Brittany McPhee will be the leader of the team after averaging 13.3 points per game as a junior.
2016-17 Record: 36-6, 15-3
2016-17 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Tara VanDerveer
Coach Record: 860-180 at Stanford, 1,012-231 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Erica McCall, Forward, 14.4 ppg
Karlie Samuelson, Guard, 12.4 ppg
Briana Roberson, Guard, 6.5 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Brittany McPhee, Senior, Guard, 13.3 ppg
Kaylee Johnson, Senior, Forward, 3.8 ppg
Alanna Smith, Junior, Forward, 9.1 ppg
Marta Sniezek, Junior, Guard, 4.5 ppg
Nadia Fingall, Sophomore, Forward, 4.3 ppg
Anna Wilson, Sophomore, Guard, 2.8 ppg
DiJonai Carrington, Sophomore, Guard, 2.5 ppg
Shannon Coffee, Junior, Center, 2.2 ppg
Key New Players
Maya Dodson, Freshman, Forward
Alyssa Jerome, Freshman, Forward
Estella Moschkau, Freshman, Forward
Kiana Williams, Freshman, Guard
Projection:
This is a team that can contend for another trip to the Final Four if some of last year’s role-players are ready to step up and help McPhee in the scoring department. The freshmen will certainly help, but there are plenty of more experienced options too. Alanna Smith and Nadia Fingall should be the new stars of the frontcourt. Smith, a 6-4 junior, averaged 9.1 points and 5.4 rebounds off the bench last season, while Fingall added 4.3 points and 2.6 rebounds during her freshman campaign. The frontcourt also returns Kaylee Johnson, who started 23 games last season. She is not a major scoring threat, but Johnson is a great rebounder and a steady influence in the paint. The most pressing matter for Stanford may be their outside shooting. Losing Karlie Samuelson and Briana Roberson leaves McPhee as the only proven shooter on the team. Marta Sniezek and DiJonai Carrington can knock down some shots, but it remains to be seen if they can be consistent if given more playing time.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 71.7 (56th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 56.5 (22, 2)
Field-Goal Percentage: 44.5 (30, 4)
Field-Goal Defense: 35.0 (9, 2)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.2 (133, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.6 (34, 5)
Free-Throw Percentage: 69.2 (179, 6)
Rebound Margin: 7.4 (17, 2)
Assists Per Game: 15.4 (51, 4)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.9 (61, 4)
Madness 2018 WNBA Draft Rankings:
#21 Brittany McPhee
Madness 2017 Women’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
#8 Kiana Williams
#14 Maya Dodson
#52 Estella Moshkau
