Stanford women ride defense to road sweep
The Stanford women relied on defense for a 2-0 trip north.
Ashten Pretchel had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the sixth-ranked Cardinal cruised past Washington State 71-49 on Sunday.
On Friday night, the Cardinal shut down Washington in a 58-41 victory.
“I thought we played well defensively. If you are keeping teams scoring in the 40s, that is good,” Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. “A road sweep is hard and (Cougars coach) Kamie Ethridge is doing an excellent job with her team. It is a tough game and we are excited to win.”
Kiana Williams scored 17 points and Lexie Hull had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Cardinal (202, 9-1 Pac-12), who have won five straight since their lone conference loss to Oregon.
Stanford improved to 67-0 all-time against Washington State. The Cardinal are 31-0 in Pullman and have beaten the Cougars by 10 points or more in 11 straight meetings.
After scoring a season-best 32 points Friday against Cal, Borislava Hristova was held to 15 points on 5-of-18 shooting for Washington State (10-12, 3-7 Pac-12). Jovana Subasic scored 12 points and Chanelle Molina had 10 for the Cougars, who shot 31% from the field, including 0 for 15 from 3-point range.
The Cardinal have held four of their past eight opponents under 50 points.
The Cardinal jumped out to a 23-8 lead in the first quarter with a flurry of buckets from five different players. Washington State struggled with Stanford’s length and athleticism, shooting 25% from the field and committing five turnovers.
Washington State responded with an 11-3 run to start the second quarter. Stanford led 42-27 at the break and then held Washington State to eight points on 22% shooting in the third quarter to pull away.
CAL WOMEN FINALLY LAND PAC-12 WIN » The Golden Bears picked up their first Pac-12 victory, beating host Washington 81-74 in overtime. The Golden Bears (9-12, 1-9 Pac12) snapped their nine-game losing streak and secured the season split against the Huskies (10-11, 2-7 Pac12).
“It’s great to get that monkey off our back and get into the win column,” Cal coach Charmin Smith said. “We’ve been fighting and working really hard, and I wanted this really bad for our players.”
Cal center CJ West had a careerhigh 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting, along with nine rebounds. Jaelyn Brown added 19 points and 11 rebounds for her third career tripledouble, and Alaysia Styles added 17 points.
Golf
SIMPSON OVERTAKES FINAU IN PHOENIX OPEN » Webb Simpson was in big trouble when he drove into the rightside water on the par-5 15th.
“I didn’t think it was over,” Simpson said. “But I thought, ‘I’m going to really have to do something special to get back in it.’ ”
He did — at friend Tony Finau’s expense in the Waste Management Phoenix Open on a TPC Scottsdale course that played tougher with firm greens and a touch of wind.
Simpson birdied the final two holes of regulation to force a playoff with Finau, then won with a 10foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.
Two strokes ahead with two holes left, Finau missed an 18-foot birdie try in the playoff on the par-4 18th after driving left into the church pew bunkers.
Simpson two-putted for birdie from the fringe on the short par-4 17th and made a 17-footer for birdie from the edge of the green on the 18th. Finau, after hitting a 366-yard drive and an approach to 8 feet, missed a chance to win when his birdie try slid right.
Simpson closed with a 2-under 69 to match Finau at 17-under 267.
“Today was a lot different. Today played tougher,” Simpson said. “I thought the pins were very tough, by far the toughest day of pins, course was longer, we had wind. We hadn’t had wind all week, so everything today was harder.”
Finau shot 70.
“I hit good putts,” Finau said. “The first one I hit really good, I thought I made it . ... Second one, similar line, a little bit farther, decided to play a little bit more break and it didn’t break.”
Simpson won his sixth PGA Tour title and first since the 2018 Players Championship. The 2012 U.S. Open champion improved to 2-6 in playoffs, three years after falling to Hideki Matsuyama in extra holes at TPC Scottsdale. Simpson also lost a playoff in November in the RSM Classic.
“I think getting frustrated after RSM led to being better prepared for today,” Simpson said.
Simpson visited instructor Butch Harmon on Monday in Las Vegas.
“I started the week off right, just getting a checkup from him,” Simpson said. “And two weeks of rest, I came in feeling ready to go.”
Finau missed a chance for his second PGA Tour victory. He also lost a playoff to Xander Schauffele in November 2018 in China in the WGCHSBC Champions.
“I definitely didn’t give him the tournament,” Finau said. “Unfortunately, it’s how the cookie crumbles. ... I love Webb. I think the camaraderie that I have with him as being one of my best friends out here, it would have been hard for either one of us to take this victory from each other. He got the upper hand this time, but I love that guy.”
Simpson felt for Finau.
“It’s hard. He is a great friend,” Simpson said. “Our wives are friends and he’s one of the best guys on tour. So it is a bit tough.”
• The PGA Tour joined players with a 16th-hole tribute to Kobe Bryant, using his two Lakers uniform numbers to cut the final-round pin position on the stadium par 3.
• Graeme McDowell closed with an even-par 70 to win the Saudi International by two shots over Dustin Johnson and collect his first European Tour title since 2014.
With the victory, McDowell moves back into the top 50 in the world for the first time in nearly five years. He finished at 12-under 268 for his 16th victory worldwide.
Defending champion Dustin Johnson pitched in for eagle on the final hole for a 3-under 67 to close within two shots. McDowell saved par on the 17th and made a 5-foot par on the final hole for the victory.
Phil Mickelson shot 67 and tied for third with Thomas Pieters (65) and Gavin Green (70).
Brooks Koepka, the No. 1 player in the world, closed with a 2-over 72 to tie for 17th. Koepka will have lost his No. 1 ranking to Rory McIlroy when both return at Riviera on the PGA Tour in two weeks.
NHL
CROSBY, PENGUINS GET BEST OF OVECHKIN, CAPITALS » Patric Hornqvist scored the day after undergoing a dental procedure, Matt Murray made 29 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 in the 50th regular-season game between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin.
Crosby assisted on Dominik Simon’s goal to give him 12 points in seven games since returning from injury. Ovechkin was held off the score sheet and remained at 37 goals this season and 695 for his career.
By winning in regulation, the Penguins crept within four points of the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals with an extra game left to play.
Winter sports
PINTURAULT WINS SECOND WORLD CUP GIANT SLALOM » Alexis Pinturault became the first skier this season to win two men’s World Cup giant slaloms, prevailing on the Kandahar 2 course to end a series of disappointing results in his strongest discipline.