No. 2 Stanford Beats Cal 77-62 For Pac-12 Crown
LOS ANGELES (CBS / AP) -- Nnemkadi Ogwumike scored 29 points, Chiney Ogwumike added 17 and No. 2 Stanford rolled to the Pac-12 tournament title with a 77-62 victory over California on Saturday, extending the Cardinal's winning streak to a school-record 28 games.
The Cardinal (31-1) won their ninth tourney title while improving to 30-2 in the event that began in 2002. It was their 78th consecutive victory against a Pac-12 opponent.
Layshia Clarendon scored 20 points and freshman Brittany Boyd added 13 for the senior-less Golden Bears (24-9), making just their second appearance in the final. They were the only team to force overtime against Stanford in the regular season, but couldn't get untracked against the dominance of the Ogwumike sisters in the Battle of the Bay south edition.
When younger sister Chiney wasn't driving for layups, Pac-12 player of the year Nnemkadi was stepping out for 3-pointers. She hit two in the second half that twice extended Stanford's lead to 13 points. Cal tried a full press, but it had little effect, with Nnemkadi racing through it for a layup that made it 64-48.
Stanford moves on to the NCAA tournament with only a November loss to Connecticut as a blemish on its record. Cal is likely headed there, too.
Amber Orrange added 13 points for the Cardinal, who have won 41 of their last 44 games against the Bears. Stanford's 74-71 OT win on Jan. 28 was its smallest margin of victory this year and one of just four games decided by less than 10 points. Stanford got past Arizona State by nine points in the tourney semifinals.
Orrange, who scored five in a row, and the sisters keyed a 13-4 run to open the second half and stretch Stanford's lead from six points to 50-35.
Over the next five minutes, the teams each scored 12 points, but second-seeded Cal still trailed by 15.
Stanford raced out to a 13-point lead at the start of the game before Boyd hit three 3-pointers that helped the Bears cut their deficit to four points. From there, Stanford narrowly outscored the Bears to end the half ahead 37-31. The Ogwumikes combined for 24 points.
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