Erica McCall earns family bragging rights, leads No. 12 Stanford over Cal State Bakersfield, 83-41
STANFORD, Calif. – No. 19 Stanford (9-2) was too much for Cal State Bakersfield (2-11) Tuesday afternoon, earning an 83-41 victory at Maples Pavilion. The game was a family affair for junior forward Erica McCall who was facing her dad, Greg McCall, the head coach of CSUB. It was the first time the two competed against each other on the college stage.
“She definitely won the bragging rights,” said coach McCall postgame. “She’ll get the extra Turkey leg at Christmas. She’ll get an extra present. She got an early one tonight. I’m very proud of her. She played extremely well. She was very poised tonight.”
The Stanford upperclassman led her team with 15 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. She earned her eighth double-double of the season.
The pregame festivities included a touching moment as the elder McCall presented his daughter with a plaque for her accomplishments as a member and co-captain of USA Basketball’s 2015 World University Games team. The squad won gold during last summer’s competition in Korea. Coach McCall discussed the emotions of being able to present the award.
“It was a wonderful feeling. It was a great honor for her to be able to play USA Basketball.”
His oldest daughter, Phoenix Mercury star forward DeWanna Bonner, also played on USA Basketball gold medal-winning squads while in college. The father of the basketball talents said Erica “is just following in her sister’s footsteps.” The sisters wear the same number, 24, and even have the same birthday.
During the game, Stanford never trailed, although CSUB stayed close behind the Cardinal throughout the first quarter. The home team had an 18-12 lead after the first quarter. CSUB traded baskets with Stanford in the second quarter until about midway through the period. The Cardinal closed out the second quarter on a 17-0 run and went into halftime with a 24-point lead, 42-18.
“It’s one of those things that has happened to us all season long,” said coach McCall about getting into an impossible situation during a game. “We’ll play very well, then we’ll hit a bump in the road, and then that bump turns into a mountain.”
The second half was more of the same. Stanford used their wide lead to give their reserves ample playing time. The one low point for the Cardinal was their free throw shooting percentage. They made 13-of-33 free throws, 39.4 percent. CSUB, on the other hand, was 10-of-12 from the free throw line, 83.3 percent.
However, the Cardinal did accumulate 12 blocks, the second most in a single game in program history.
In addition to McCall, three other Stanford players finished in double figures. Freshman Alanna Smith had a career-high 14 points. Junior Karlie Samuelson scored 13 points and pulled down 5 rebounds. Sophomore Kaylee Johnson contributed 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Freshman Addi Walters from nearby San Francisco led CSUB with 12 points.
For Stanford’s McCall, the win earned her the right to ride home with her dad back home on the CSUB bus for the holiday break, but she still might hear some ribbing about the game from him.
“She’ll get to ride on the bus. I won’t kick her off. I’ll still talk a little trash to her.”
McCall was not the only one with a parent present. Smith, the first-ever international recruit for the Cardinal, was also happy that her dad was in the stands to watch her play all the way from Australia. The last time she saw him was during the summer. His trip includes spending a few days with Smith and coaching a touring Australian junior team.
Stanford is next in action on Monday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Chattanooga (8-4). CSUB hosts Hawaii two days later.
