PORTLAND, Ore. -- NC State is advancing to the program's third Elite Eight after upsetting Stanford, 77-67, on Friday. The Cardinal's loss also brought an end to the collegiate career of Stanford star Cameron Brink.
Brink, the Pac-12 Player and Defensive Player of the year, fouled out of the game with 8:10 remaining. That seemed like the exact moment in which the Cardinal's chances to advance evaporated. It was her second consecutive game fouling out.
"I know she wanted to do so well in Portland, being from Portland," Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said. "She got us off to a really good start. Last couple games we've struggled in the first half. She really got us going. Cam is a phenomenal player, a phenomenal person. I'm really sad that this is her last game in a Stanford uniform."
Both teams had been off to a slow start offensively, but Stanford's Kiki Iriafen ignited her team with eight points in six minutes in the second quarter. The Cardinal were up 37-27 at halftime, and Brink was on triple-double watch. However, Iriafen and Brink soon found themselves in foul trouble, and that's when the No. 3 seed Wolfpack pounced.
"Yeah, I think it's definitely tough when both of us are in foul trouble," Iriafen said. "But I think when I was on the bench, when Cam was on the bench, we did everything we could to still encourage our teammates, still be vocal from where we were at. I think we gave it our best. We just didn't get the outcome we wanted today."
It seemed as if the majority of the crowd at Moda Center was cheering for Stanford, and it certainly felt like a home game for Brink as she's from nearby Beaverton. Brink did put on a decent performance with 13 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks. This was Stanford's first loss of the season after leading by double digits at halftime.
"If I have to lose anywhere, in front of family and friends, it's the way I want to do it," said Brink, who is projected to be the second pick in the WNBA Draft on April 15. "Playing in front of them my last college game ever really meant a lot to me. I think I'm really at peace with my career and how it went. I think we just came up short today. I just feel really lucky. I'm sitting here feeling really lucky and really blessed."
The win gives the Wolfpack its second Elite Eight appearance in three years and third overall. Taking down Stanford was a true team effort, but no one played bigger than junior guard Aziaha James. She put up a game-high 29 points by going 8 of 14 from the field, including three buckets from beyond the arc.
NC State will take on the winner of Friday night's matchup between Texas and Gonzaga.
