Stanford Holds Off Boston College in Tight Battle, Wins 80-75

STANFORD, Calif. – In a closely contested matchup, Stanford (13-12, 5-9 ACC) edged out Boston College 80-75 in a game that remained competitive from start to finish at Maples Pavilion Sunday afternoon. After beating Syracuse on Thursday, Sunday’s win capped the first back-to-back victories for the Cardinal since the end of November when they won three in a row.

Boston College Battles Back After Stanford’s Hot Start

Stanford came out strong, racing to a 16-6 lead behind a balanced offensive attack. Brooke Demetre was instrumental early, knocking down a three-pointer and adding key buckets in the paint. Chloe Clardy capped the early surge with a layup and a free throw to push Stanford’s lead to double digits.

Boston College responded with an 8-0 run, sparked by Kaylah Ivey and Savannah Samuel’s hot shooting from beyond the arc. Ivey drained a pair of three-pointers, and Samuel hit a crucial three late in the quarter to complete the Eagles’ comeback.

Stanford managed to regain a slim lead at 20-18, but Boston College closed the quarter with another big shot—Samuel’s second three-pointer of the period put the Eagles ahead 21-20 as time expired.

Both teams shot efficiently in the quarter, with Boston College hitting 44% overall and an impressive 50% (4-of-8) from three. Stanford was similarly sharp, shooting 44% and 50% from deep (3-of-6), but struggled to hold onto their early advantage.

Stanford Regains Control Behind Strong Perimeter Shooting

Boston College opened the second quarter strong, building on their late first-quarter momentum with a 14-0 run to take a 27-20 lead. Dontavia Waggoner and Kaylah Ivey were instrumental in the surge, with Waggoner scoring twice in transition and Ivey adding a mid-range jumper.

Stanford responded with back-to-back layups from Elena Bosgana to cut into the deficit. The Cardinal then found their rhythm from beyond the arc, with Tess Heal and Demetre hitting key three-pointers to tie the game at 29.

The teams traded baskets before a three from Athena Tomlinson put Boston College ahead 34-32. Stanford answered again, as Demetre connected from deep to give the Cardinal a brief lead, only for Tatum Greene to drill a three-pointer of her own for Boston College.

Stanford closed the half on an 8-0 run, fueled by Heal’s three-pointer and Bosgana’s inside presence. The Cardinal went into the break with a 42-37 advantage, outscoring Boston College 22-16 in the quarter.

Cardinal Maintain Lead Despite Eagle’s Push

Stanford maintained its lead through a strong third quarter, outscoring Boston College 19-18 to take a 61-55 advantage into the final period.

The Cardinal got off to a fast start, building a 46-39 lead behind a pair of quick buckets from Mary Ashley Stevenson and a layup from Bosgana. Boston College battled back, responding with a three-pointer from Kaylah Ivey to tie the game at 48 midway through the quarter.

Heal answered immediately with a three of her own, putting Stanford back in front. Brooke Demetre and Bosgana continued to carry the offensive load for the Cardinal, each scoring crucial baskets in the paint to keep the lead intact. Kennedy Umeh’s layup in the closing minutes gave Stanford its largest lead of the quarter at 61-53 before a pair of free throws from Dontavia Waggoner cut the deficit to six at the buzzer.

Stanford shot an impressive 62% (8-of-13) from the field in the third, relying on strong inside play and transition opportunities. Boston College stayed within striking distance but struggled from deep, going just 2-of-7 from three-point range in the period. The Cardinal will look to maintain their efficiency and close out the game in the fourth quarter.

Stanford Survives Late Surge to Secure Victory

Boston College made a strong push in the final period, but Stanford held on for an 80-75 victory in a tense finish.

The Cardinal entered the fourth quarter with a six-point lead (61-55) and quickly extended it to double digits after an 8-0 run, capped by a three-pointer from Demetre to make it 67-57. However, Boston College responded with a 14-6 run of their own, led by Ivey and Teya Sidberry, to trim the deficit to just two points at 73-71 with under a minute to play.

With the game on the line, Stanford turned to Heal, who knocked down clutch free throws to keep the Eagles at bay. A late layup from T’yana Todd brought Boston College within three (78-75) with just seven seconds left, but Heal calmly sank two more free throws to seal the win.

Both teams shot efficiently in the final quarter, with Stanford hitting 50% (5-10) from the field and the Eagles making 53.8% (7-13). The Cardinal’s ability to control the glass and capitalize on late free throws proved to be the difference as they closed out a hard-fought victory.

Demetre’s Defensive Prowess

In addition to 21 points, Demetre had a great night defensively, with five blocks and eight rebounds including five defensive ones. Stanford head coach Kate Paye praised the senior forward’s performance.

“Brooke has really challenged herself the past same month or so to really stoke up her defense. And you saw that tonight. Obviously, we know she has a beautiful shot. She’s really steady efforts on the floor, but it was a great team effort.”

Top Performers

Boston College

• Kaylah Ivey: 20 points (7-8 FG, 6-7 3PT), 2 assists, 2 steals.
• Teya Sidberry: 13 points, 10 rebounds (double-double), 5-6 FT.
• Dontavia Waggoner: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 fouls.
• Tatum Greene: 8 points (2-2 3PT).
• T’yana Todd: 8 points, 3 rebounds.

Stanford

• Tess Heal: 23 points (8-13 FG, 5-9 3PT), 4 rebounds.
• Brooke Demetre: 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-4 3PT), 8 rebounds, 5 blocks.
• Elena Bosgana: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks.
• Mary Ashley Stevenson: 7 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists.

Key Stats & Takeaways

• Shooting Efficiency: Stanford shot 52% from the field (30-58), while Boston College shot 42% (28-66).
• Three-Point Shooting: Both teams excelled beyond the arc—Stanford (52.4%, 11-21) and Boston College (47.8%, 11-23).
• Free Throws: Boston College struggled at the line (8-12, 67%), while Stanford capitalized (9-14, 64%).
• Turnovers: Stanford had 18 turnovers, but Boston College couldn’t fully capitalize with only 21 points off them.
• Bench Production: Stanford’s bench outscored Boston College’s 28-18.
• Biggest Run: Boston College had a 14-0 run in the second quarter but couldn’t sustain momentum.

Boston College put up a valiant effort, led by Ivey’s sharp shooting and Sidberry’s inside presence, but Stanford’s balance, superior efficiency, and clutch shooting from Heal and Demetre secured the victory.

Next Up

Stanford heads to the East Coast for a two-game road trip beginning with Virginia Tech followed by Virginia. Boston College heads home to New England for a two-game homestand hosting SMU followed by Virginia Tech.