Stanford Cardinal Overcome Beavers in Pac-12 Semifinal
The Stanford Cardinal, ranked 2nd, emerged victorious with a 66-57 win over the 13th-ranked Oregon State Beavers in a hard-fought Pac-12 semifinal. The Cardinal's record improved to an impressive tally while the Beavers' record took a hit after this encounter.
The game started off with the Beavers taking an early lead, outscoring the Cardinal 24-12 in the first quarter. However, as the match progressed, Stanford began to find their rhythm and closed down on Oregon State's lead by halftime. The third quarter saw a dominant performance from Stanford as they put up 23 points against Oregon State's 8, which proved pivotal in changing the course of the game.
Stanford's offense was firing on all cylinders with a field goal percentage of 45 and an even more impressive three-point shooting at 47 percent accuracy. Their two-point shots were also effective at a rate of 44 percent. On defense, they managed to block six shots and made three steals which contributed to their robust defensive display.
The assists column for Stanford was particularly noteworthy; they dished out an outstanding total of 25 assists showing their team-oriented playstyle and excellent ball movement. This facilitated an assist-turnover ratio of about four times more than that of turnovers committed by them.
Oregon State struggled to keep up with their opponents' pace despite starting strong. They shot only at a rate of 36 percent from the field overall and had difficulty beyond the arc with just a mere success rate of about one-fifth for three-pointers attempted. In terms of rebounds, Oregon State collected a total of thirty-six but still fell short compared to Stanford’s forty-one rebounds.
One area where Oregon State excelled was free throw shooting where they achieved nearly eighty percent accuracy but it wasn't enough against Stanford’s solid defense that limited them to only nine attempts from the line throughout the game.
As fans look back on this semifinal clash between these two formidable teams, it is clear that Stanford’s ability to adjust after falling behind early played a crucial role in securing their victory over Oregon State Beavers who fought valiantly but couldn't sustain their initial momentum.
Looking ahead for fans eager for more action from their beloved team: tune into future broadcasts featuring The Cardinal as they continue their pursuit towards championship glory.