The high-flying Stanford Cardinal hosts Norfolk State in the 2024 women's March Madness tournament opening round on Friday (10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Our matchup scouting report will get you familiarized with both teams so you can confidently make your pick for this opening-round tilt.
Stanford has been dominant all season but fell to USC in the Pac-12 championship. The Cardinal has averaged a gaudy 77.5 points per game on the season and gone 28-5 when scoring 52 points or more.
As for Norfolk State, the Spartans are riding an unreal 15-game winning streak and fresh off the Mid-Eastern regular season and conference titles. They went 27-5 on the season and 13-1 in conference, but have yet to face a team as balanced as Stanford.
Does Norfolk State have any shot at a first-round upset on Friday night? Let's dive into the matchup, look at the odds and reveal our scouting report and predictions.
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Stanford vs. Norfolk State odds
Early odds have Stanford as a massive 35.5-point favorite entering Friday night's matchup, according to BetMGM.
- Odds: Stanford (-35.5)
- Date: Friday, March 22
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN2
- Arena: Maples Pavilion in Stanford, California
Stanford (28-5, 15-3 in Pac-12)
Stanford has been rock-solid since mid-January, only losing to USC and Arizona during that 16-game span. Prior to the Cardinal's Pac-12 championship loss to the Trojans, Tara VanDerveer's squad had won nine of its past 10 games.
This is a complete team. Stanford can shoot, entering the weekend at 34.9 percent from three-point land and it can also defend. Opponents have shot just 35.4 percent from the floor and 29.5 percent from long distance, while only averaging a tick over eight free throws per game.
The Cardinal have size, depth, and experience. They control the glass, out-rebounding foes by an average of 44.6 to 31.6, and they defend the interior well with 5.1 swats per game. They will be a terribly difficult test for Norfolk State.
Key players
Kiki Iriafen, F, Jr. (6-3): 18.6 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 2.2 apg
Cameron Brink, F, Sr. (6-4): 17.8 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg
Hannah Jump, G, Sr. (6-0): 10.3 ppg, 2.2 apg, 1.9 rpg
MORE: Buy tickets to 2024 March Madness games
Norfolk State (27-5, 13-1 in Mid-Eastern)
Norfolk State dominated Mid-Eastern opponents this season, going 13-1 in conference games and a perfect 10-0 at home. The Spartans have won 15 straight, but they haven't faced anyone with the top-to-bottom skills of this Stanford team.
Two areas of concern are shooting and ball control. The Spartans shot just a hair over 40 percent from the field on the season, and relied heavily on forced turnovers (opponents averaged 21.3 turnovers per game). The Cardinal have a stifling defense and pretty good ball control, which could lead to trouble early and often for Norfolk State.
Key players
Diamond Johnson, G, Jr. (5-5): 20.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.8 spg
Kierra Wheeler, F, Jr. (6-1): 17.6 ppg, 9.7 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.5 bpg
Niya Fields, G, Jr. (5-8): 6.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.5 rpg, 2.5 spg
WOMEN'S BRACKET GUIDES: Iowa | South Carolina | LSU | USC | UConn
Stanford vs. Norfolk St. prediction
We love upsets, but we're not going to get one here. Stanford has too balanced an offensive attack, too disciplined a defense and too much size and depth for Norfolk State to keep up. This one should be wrapped up by intermission, with the Cardinal easily moving on to the second round.
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