Five players score in double figures to lead No. 2 Stanford past Pepperdine 99-50

Stanford uses balanced offense to rout Pepperdine

STANFORD, Calif. — Kayla Pedersen had 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and No. 2 Stanford extended its winning streak at Maples Pavilion to 30 games with a 99-50 rout of Pepperdine in its home opener Thursday night.

All-American Jayne Appel added 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists. She also blocked three shots as the Cardinal (3-0) overcame a slow start to quickly break the game open.

Jeanette Pohlen scored five straight points during a 31-3 first-half run and finished with 20 as one of five Cardinal players to score in double figures. Pohlen also had three steals and three assists.

Miranda Ayim scored 14 points to lead Pepperdine (2-1), a young and inexperienced team that was overmatched in all facets against the bigger, quicker and more talented national powerhouse at Stanford.

The Cardinal, coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances and picked to win a 10th straight Pac-10 regular-season crown, shot 60.6 percent in the first half and 63.5 overall but committed 21 turnovers. Coach Tara VanDerveer was able to give her reserves plenty of action in this one.

Stanford’s home winning streak is the fourth-longest in school history. The longest was a 59-game run from Nov. 25, 1994, to March 14, 1998. This team would like nothing more than to keep the momentum and win it all this season in Appel’s senior campaign.

Stanford hasn’t been tested yet after getting road victories at Old Dominion and Rutgers last weekend, but that will soon change.

The Cardinal are playing their toughest early schedule in VanDerveer’s 24-year tenure on The Farm. Next month, Stanford hosts DePaul and Duke on Dec. 13 and 15, then Tennessee visits Maples Pavilion on Dec. 19. After that, the Cardinal hit the road for what could be the most highly anticipated game of the regular season when they play defending champion Connecticut at Hartford on Dec. 22.

Sophomore Nnemkadi Ogwumike, whose younger sister Chiney will join Stanford’s program next season, had 14 points and seven rebounds as the Cardinal held a 51-33 advantage on the boards. Stanford also shot 9 for 22 from 3-point range, getting four 3s from Pedersen and three by Pohlen.

The Waves, who opened the season with wins against Northern Arizona and San Jose State, are in a tough stretch with three road games in five days.

The Cardinal — who went 33-5 last season and captured a sixth Pac-10 tournament crown — have won the last five meetings with Pepperdine and eight of nine overall.

Stanford started 4 for 12 from the floor, missing several easy shots in the paint, but responded by making 16 of its next 21 field-goal tries to end the half on the way to a 50-26 lead at the break.

All but one Stanford player scored.