STANFORD, Calif. — Hall of Fame coach Tara VanDerveer won her 900th game in 33 seasons at Stanford as her sixth-ranked Cardinal women's basketball team beat Washington State 85-64 on Sunday.
Alanna Smith had a career-high 34 points to help Stanford get its 20th straight home victory. Smith shot 13 for 17 with four 3-pointers and also had 15 rebounds — one off her career best — in her third 30-point performance of the season.
Stanford (16-1, 6-0 Pac-12) is off to the program’s best start since beginning 22-1 in 2013-14.
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Perhaps even more impressive about Smith on this day: Along with VanDerveer’s milestone, Maples Pavilion also celebrated survivors of human trafficking thanks to Smith’s leadership in planning the school’s first Human Trafficking Awareness Game.
VanDerveer became the fifth Division I men’s or women’s coach to reach 900 victories at one school, joining late Tennessee women’s coach Pat Summitt, UConn’s Geno Auriemma, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and Syracuse men’s coach Jim Boeheim.
Another milestone in a legendary career.
— Stanford Women’s Basketball (@StanfordWBB)
Kiana Williams added 19 points and DiJonai Carrington 11 for the Cardinal, who shot 76.9 percent in the third quarter (10 for 13).
Cherilyn Molina had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Washington State.
Cougars forward Borislava Hristova added 11 points and seven rebounds. She missed a double-double for the first time in 18 games this season. Her streak of 17 straight had matched the sixth-longest such streak in school history.
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Washington State (7-11, 2-5) lost for the fifth time in six games after a 77-63 loss at California on Friday night in which the team fought back before giving up an 18-2 run.
It won’t get easier for the Cougars: They host No. 5 Oregon in their next game Friday back in Pullman. The Cougars play three straight against top-10 teams.
WATCH LIVE: Tara VanDerveer became the 5th coach in D1 Basketball to win 900 games at home after ’s 85-64 win.
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network)
Washington State took a quick lead by scoring the game’s first basket before Stanford went on a 19-3 run — including 14-0 during one stretch in which the Cardinal forced three turnovers and held the Cougars without scoring for more than four minutes.
Stanford improved to 64-0 all-time against Washington State and 32-0 in the series at home, with 20 of the last 21 wins by double digits.
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