Even with most of the attention on Iowa Hawkeyes’ Caitlin Clark and the South Carolina Gamecocks’ dominant undefeated streak, Stanford Cardinal star Kiki Iriafen managed to drop jaws after a big game recently. This prompted Tara VanDerveer to put some praise on the forward’s name as her star is rising in the NCAA.
During the tournament’s second round, as VanDerveer’s team faced off against Iowa State in a thrilling 87-81 overtime win. Iriafen led all scorers that night when she dropped 41 points on 55 percent shooting from the field, 16 rebounds, and four assists. Hannah Jump added 15 points and two assists to help their team advance to the Sweet 16.
Stanford star Cameron Brink, meanwhile, had an off-night with only five points and five rebounds. Fortunately, Iriafen stepped up and shouldered much of the offensive load to carry their team down the line.
Iowa State, on the other hand, had Emily Ryan lead the way with her 36 points, nine rebounds, and four assists. Unfortunately, her 10 turnovers proved to be costly as Iriafen’s team will now advance to the next round.
Stanford Cardinal Coach Tara VanDerveer Praises Kiki Iriafen After Dominant 41-Point Game
After the game, VanDerveer spoke to the media and showered praises on Iriafen’s performance against the Cyclones. In an article written by the Associated Press and posted by ESPN:
“She’s a warrior out there,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “She gave an All-American performance out there tonight.”
Thanks to this win, the 70-year old VanDerveer has also become the coach with the most wins this year. This victory has also put momentum on their side as the team has advanced to the next round.
With the Gamecocks and Clark’s Hawkeyes advancing as well, it’s going to get more challenging for VanDerveer’s team. But if Iriafen’s recent performance is any indication, it looks like they have a chance of going deep in the NCAA Tournament.
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