PALO ALTO, Calif. (Interstat) — Stanford used a strong first quarter and superior free-throw shooting to defeat Wake Forest 55-43 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Thursday at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal built a 16-7 lead after one quarter and maintained control despite poor shooting from the field. Stanford went 16 for 22 from the free-throw line, while Wake Forest attempted only five free throws, making three. Nunu Agara led all scorers with 27 points for Stanford. Caitlyn Jones and Mary Carter each scored 11 for the Demon Deacons. Both teams struggled offensively, combining to shoot under 30% from the floor. Stanford improved to 14-3, while Wake Forest fell to 12-5. Attendance was 2,475.

STANFORD, Calif. (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed shots and relentless effort, the Stanford women’s basketball team leaned on a dominant performance from Nunu Agara to grind out a 55-43 victory over Wake Forest on Thursday night at Maples Pavilion. The game, a nonconference matchup organized by the Atlantic Coast Conference, was far from aesthetically pleasing. Both teams combined to shoot just 29.5% from the floor, with Stanford converting 17 of 57 attempts and Wake Forest managing only 16 of 55. The difference, ultimately, was Agara’s offensive prowess and Stanford’s ability to capitalize at the free-throw line and on second-chance opportunities. Agara, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Minneapolis, was the singular offensive force in a sea of inefficiency. She scored a game-high 27 points, nearly matching Wake Forest’s entire first-half output of 13 points. She added a block and was a constant presence on the glass, helping Stanford to a commanding 18-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. That effort translated to a 14-2 edge in second-chance points, a critical margin in such a low-scoring affair. Stanford, which improved to 14-3 overall, never trailed after Agara opened the scoring with a jump shot just over 90 seconds into the game. However, the Cardinal could never fully shake the Demon Deacons due to their own frigid shooting, particularly from beyond the arc where they finished 5 of 24. Wake Forest, which fell to 12-5, endured a catastrophic first half offensively. The Demon Deacons scored just seven points in the first quarter and six in the second, heading into halftime with only 13 points on 5-of-30 shooting. Their 13 first-half points were a season low. The Demon Deacons showed life after the break, outscoring Stanford 17-17 in the third quarter behind 11 points from Caitlyn Jones. A 3-pointer by Mary Carter brought Wake Forest within 33-30 with 5:48 left in the third period, marking the closest they had been since the opening minutes. That surge, however, was immediately answered by Stanford. Agara scored on the next possession, and after a Wake Forest miss, Shay Ijiwoye hit a 3-pointer to push the lead back to eight. Wake Forest would never get within a single possession again. The most important sequence of the game came early in the fourth quarter, effectively extinguishing Wake Forest’s final hope. After the Demon Deacons had trimmed the deficit to 41-37, they had two consecutive possessions to draw closer. Both ended in missed layups by Mary Carter. Stanford then went to Agara, who was fouled and made two free throws. On the ensuing Stanford trip, after a Wake Forest turnover, Agara hit a turnaround jumper to extend the lead to 45-37 with 7:53 to play. That 6-0 spurt, fueled by Agara and keyed by defensive stops, restored a comfortable margin that Wake Forest, given its offensive woes, could not overcome. Beyond Agara, Stanford received 10 points from Hailee Swain. The Cardinal’s defense was anchored by Alexandra Eschmeyer, who blocked six shots and altered countless others. Stanford also made 16 of 22 free throws compared to Wake Forest’s 3-of-5 effort, and outscored the Demon Deacons 12-5 off turnovers. For Wake Forest, Jones finished with 11 points and three assists. Carter also scored 11 points, and Madisyn Jordan added eight. The Demon Deacons were hampered by 14 turnovers and an inability to generate easy baskets, scoring only eight points in the paint. A crowd of 2,475 at Maples Pavilion watched as Stanford secured its second win in three games following a loss at North Carolina State to open the new year. Wake Forest, which had won four of its last five coming in, saw its two-game winning streak snapped. Stanford next hosts Duke on Sunday. Wake Forest continues its West Coast trip with a game at California, also on Sunday.

Preview: Wake Forest Faces Stanford in Top-20 Nonconference Clash PALO ALTO, Calif. (Interstat) — A compelling nonconference women’s basketball matchup between two ranked teams awaits Thursday when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons visit the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. The game, organized by the Atlantic Coast Conference, features teams with nearly identical strong records. Wake Forest (12-4) looks to rebound from a 73-58 home loss to Syracuse on Sunday. Stanford (13-3) arrives with momentum after a 77-71 overtime road win at North Carolina the same day. The spotlight will be on the backcourts, featuring two of the nation’s top guards. Wake Forest is led by dynamic scorer Grace Oliver, who averages 17.6 points per game. She is coming off a 30-point, 7-rebound performance against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 22 and scored 16 in the loss to Syracuse. Stanford counters with Courtney Ogden, a consistent offensive force averaging 17.8 points. She scored 21 points in the overtime win at North Carolina and had a 25-point outing against California on Dec. 14. Her play will be central to Stanford’s attack. For Wake Forest, recovering from a poor shooting performance against Syracuse, where they shot just 32.8% from the field, is paramount. Milan Brown provided a bright spot with 10 rebounds in that contest. The Demon Deacons will need more secondary scoring to support Oliver against a stout Stanford defense. The Cardinal, under coach Tara VanDerveer, have been formidable at home. Their trio of Ogden, Chloe Clardy (12 points, 9 rebounds vs. UNC) and Lara Somfai (13 points, 8 rebounds vs. UNC) presents a balanced challenge. Stanford’s defense, which held Oregon to 53 points last month, will aim to disrupt Wake Forest’s rhythm. This contest serves as a key resume-building opportunity for both sides before diving deeper into their respective conference schedules. Wake Forest continues a West Coast trip at California on Sunday. Stanford hosts Duke on Sunday in another ACC matchup. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. PST Thursday at Maples Pavilion.