Can Stanford Cardinal Overcome Washington State Cougars' Paint Dominance at T-Mobile Arena?

The Stanford Cardinal, with a record of 0-0, faced off against the 22-ranked Washington State Cougars in a gripping quarterfinal matchup. The final score read 79-62 in favor of the Cougars.

The game, held at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, saw the Cardinal put up a valiant effort but ultimately fall short against a formidable opponent. The first half ended with the Cardinal trailing by 16 points, scoring only 29 to the Cougars' impressive 45. In an attempt to close this gap, the Cardinal managed to add another 33 points in the second half; however, it was not enough to overcome their deficit as the Cougars scored an additional 34 points.

Stanford's performance was marked by shooting accuracy from two-point range where they made an impressive 58 percent of their attempts. However, struggles from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line were evident as they shot just 29 percent and made only six out of fourteen free throws – a mere 43 percent success rate.

Despite these challenges, there were bright spots for Stanford fans. The team showed tenacity on defense with seven steals and maintained discipline by committing only twelve personal fouls throughout the game. Offensively, they distributed well with thirteen assists but had difficulty maintaining possession as evidenced by their eleven turnovers.

The paint was where much of this contest was decided; Stanford scored thirty-four points inside while allowing forty-two points against them in that crucial area. They also fell short on rebounding efforts with twenty-five total rebounds compared to Washington State's thirty-nine.

Washington State capitalized on fast-break opportunities scoring seventeen fast break points and demonstrated better ball movement which resulted in eighteen assists leading to higher efficiency on offense overall – making fifty-one percent of field goal attempts including seven three-pointers.

As both teams fought hard until the last buzzer sounded at midnight local time (Pacific Time Zone), it became clear that Washington State's ability to convert more effectively under pressure played a key role in their victory over Stanford.

Looking ahead after this tough loss for Stanford fans is essential; while reflecting on what could have been done differently is part of any post-game analysis for players and coaches alike. Fans can catch future games broadcasted live as per usual schedules without missing any action from their favorite team.