DAVIS, Calif. – Briana Roberson led the way with 15 points, Erica McCall added her third career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and No. 16 Stanford used a dominant third quarter to win at UC Davis on Friday night, 74-45.
The win was Stanford's 31st in season openers and 15th in a row. Freshman Alanna Smith added 13 points on 6-of-11 shooting in her debut and Lili Thompson came off the bench to score 10 points in 14 minutes.
The Cardinal (1-0) next faces Gonzaga (1-0) in Spokane on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs beat Air Force (0-1), 88-35 on Friday night.
TURNING POINT » Stanford was up five at the break, 29-24, and put the game away with a dominant third quarter. The Cardinal opened up the half on a 20-2 run over the first six-and-a-half minutes and wouldn't lead by less than 20 the rest of the way.
RUN DETAILS » Roberson had nine of her team-high 15 during the spurt, converting three at the rim and a 3-pointer from the near corner. McCall, Thompson, Brittany McPhee and Karlie Samuelson all hit from the floor during the defining stretch and Stanford forced the Aggies into seven of their 21 turnovers.
GETTING IN SYNC » Stanford was 11-of-36 from the floor in the first half (30.6 percent) and scored all of 29 points. In the decisive third quarter, the Cardinal shot 55 percent and scored 31 points, while holding UC Davis to just eight points and one field goal. The Aggies were 1-for-12 in the third quarter with 10 turnovers.
PRESS » In a new twist for Stanford, but playing to the strengths of a deep, quick roster, the Cardinal pressed often, forcing UC Davis into a number of miscues that led to 24 points off turnovers. Stanford only scored at least 20 points off turnovers four times a season ago against Boston College (26), Santa Clara (26), Arizona (25) and Washington State (20). The Cardinal forced one opponent into 20 turnovers last year (Arizona State) and hadn't tallied as many as it did on Friday night since Nov. 28, 2013 against San Diego State (22).
BRI GETS BUCKETS » Briana Roberson's 15 points gave her double figures for the 11th time in her career. It's only bested by the career-high 21 she had at UCLA in Stanford's 79-70 win in Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 23, 2015.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE » Erica McCall registered her third career double-double. She had 12 and 10 in the Sweet 16 against Notre Dame last March and went for 13 and 16 against Arizona on January 16, 2015.
STRONG DEBUT » Australian freshman Alanna Smith is acclimating herself to the collegiate game quite quickly. The 6-foot-3 Smith had 13 points and was Stanford's most efficient player from the floor on Friday night, making six of her 11 attempts. The effort follows as 12-point outing in Stanford's exhibition against Academy of Art and a 14-point performance in its scrimmage against UTEP. Smith's 13 points were the most for a Cardinal freshman in a season opener since Amber Orrange had 14 at Texas on Nov. 11, 2011.