What Stanford women's basketball's 64 point win means for the rest of the year

Is it possible that the Cardinal will defy expectations and stay as one of the nation's top programs?

Jan 24, 2021; Santa Cruz, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal assistant head coach Kate Paye talks to forward Cameron Brink (22) during the first quarter against the USC Trojans at Kaiser Permanente Arena. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

What a way to start a season. For the first time since the mid 90s, the Stanford Cardinal will have a different coach roaming the sidelines for them, as longtime great Tara VanDerveer announced her retirement in April. Coming into this year, many factors suggested that Stanford could struggle, with a new coach taking over, being a member of a new conference and losing superstars such as Cameron Brink. With all those occurrences happening at once, it is only natural for expectations to be lowered in an era of uncertainty.

But the Cardinal had other plans on Monday night when they stepped out onto the floor to take on Le Moyne. Right from the jump, the Cardinal were in total control, not only finishing the game having won 107-43 but setting a team record for most three pointers made in a game, with players such as Jzaniya Harriel and Chloe Clardy stepping up to provide extremely lethal depth off the bench. Albeit only being the first game, a lot went well for Stanford. In fact, the 64 point victory means a lot to this team.

One of the most glaring storylines that can come from the win is how the Cardinal have a team that is constructed similarly to how the Golden State Warriors are built this year, with an emphasis on extreme depth over having superstars (Stephen Curry is not included in this conversation). In a conference that will present new challenges, including extreme travel, having plenty of players that are capable of playing at any minute will alleviate some of the stress on the starters and allow new head coach Kate Paye to have some flexibility with lineups.

In the win over Le Moyne, four different players scored double digit points, and while on the surface that may not seem like a big deal when you consider the matchup, that type of game showed that truly any player on this Stanford team can shine on any given night, making game planning for them very tough. Last season, honing in on Brink and current USC star Kiki Iriafen were what most teams would look to do, but with players with Elena Bosgona, Harriel, Clardy, Nunu Agara among others, it may be hard to tell who will have the hot hand each night.

Being in the ACC for the first time with top teams like Notre Dame, UNC, Duke and NC State among others and playing them regularly will be an adjustment, but playing teams like that will not be completely unfamiliar territory. A perennial tournament team, Stanford has made a deep tournament run in three of the last four years, with a national championship coming in 2021 when it had to face teams like Louisville, South Carolina, and Arizona to get there. Stanford is no stranger to big stage basketball games, and after running the tables in the Pac-12 for years, they will now attempt to do the same in the ACC.

There is a lot of basketball left in this young season, with anything being capable of happening. But a big win in the first game of the season can say a lot, and with what the Cardinal showed, there is reason to believe that this program can pick up right where it left off last year.