Who Will Step Up and Score for Stanford Women's Basketball?

Jason Burke | Aug 11, 2024

Feb 17, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Talana Lepolo (10) drives past USC Trojans guard Kayla Williams (4) during the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The Stanford Cardinal women's basketball team finished the year 30-6 last season, ultimately losing to NC State in the Sweet 16. Since that loss, Stanford has also seen their three most prominent scorers from last year head elsewhere.

Cameron Brink played in 34 of the team's 36 games and averaged 17.4 points per, along with being the team's best rebounder with 11.9 per game. Brink was selected by the L.A. Sparks with the second overall pick in the WNBA Draft in April.

The team's top scorer, Kiki Iriafen, transferred to USC just a couple of weeks after the Draft. Iriafen put up 19.4 points per game, and was a beast on the offensive and defensive glass, hauling in 11 boards a game.

Senior Hannah Jump completed her fifth season in 2024 and finished her NCAA career by shooting 40.9% from beyond the arc, scoring 10.6 points per game.

Combined, all three put up an average of 47.4 points per game in 2023-24, and the team as a whole put up 77.5. Brink, Iriafen, and Jump were the only three that averaged double-digits, which leads us to the all-important question: Who will be scoring points for the Stanford women's team this upcoming season?

Brink and Iriafen were 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-3 forwards, respectively, while Jump was a six-foot guard, and replacing that size will also be something to keep an eye out for.

Junior Talana Lepolo figures to receive minutes, much like she did in '23-24, averaging 30.5 per night, which ranked second on the team. At 5-foot-7 she doesn't have the same size to step into Jump's shoes, but she was tied with Jump for second on the team in three point percentage at 37.2%. She was already a starter last season, but with big parts of the offense now gone, Lepolo may have more opportunity to shine.

The leader in three point percentage was Jzaniya Harriel at 39.5%, and she averaged just 12.8 minutes per game. With more opportunities for the redshirt junior in this offense, we could see her have a jump in production similar to the one that Iriafen had from her sophomore to junior season, going from 12 minutes a game to 28, and increasing her points from 6.7 to 19.4.

The breakout pick could be forward Nunu Agara. At 6-foot-2, she has size, and will presumably be one of the team's starting forwards. As a freshman she was getting 13.9 minutes per game, which should also see a big increase. She was third on the team in two-point percentage (54.4%) and hit 35.3% from three.

Incoming transfer Mary Ashley Stevenson was receiving nearly 28 minutes a game with Purdue, starting 33 of 34 games played before making the switch to Stanford. The 6-foot-2 forward will be entering her sophomore season after averaging 9.7 points per game with 5.1 total rebounds.

Another transfer, junior Tess Heal, will be one to keep an eye on as well. With Santa Clara she averaged 32 minutes per game last season, along with 19.5 points and 4.5 assists. She was also All-WCC in both her freshman and sophomore seasons.

How far the Stanford women's basketball team goes this year could be up to the development of Agara, Heal, and Stevenson, who will be attempting to fill some pretty big shoes.