The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship opened yesterday with four national Division I women’s programmes in action on day one.

Both lower seeds emerged with pivotal early season wins as the defending NCAA champion No.7 Stanford Cardinal defeated the No.4 Indiana Hoosiers and the No.5 North Carolina State Wolfpack defeated the No.2 Maryland Terrapins at the Baha Mar Convention Center.

Stanford’s Cameron Brink posted an impressive stat line - 21 points, 22 rebounds, five blocked shots, and five assists - to lead the Cardinal to a 69-66 win. Her rebound total set a new career high.

“I think the main thing for me was just to stay out of foul trouble and I think I did a good job of that today,” she said, “I think I had so many rebounds because I just missed so many shots and I got my own rebounds but I think my teammates really helped me, we really showed out. Indiana’s a tough team and it was a great win.”

Francesca Belbi also added 14 points for Stanford. Both teams are now 4-1 on the season.

Brink also sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 6.8 seconds remaining to give the Cardinal a three-point lead. Indiana’s Ali Patberg missed a late three-pointer with an opportunity to tie. Patberg led the Hoosiers with 19 points, Nicole Cardano-Hillary added 18 points and eight assists and Grace Berger scored 12.

The Wolfpack dominanted the Terrapins, 78-60, to improve to 5-1. After their first loss of the season, Maryland is now 6-1. It was the fifth win over a top-five opponent under the Wes Moore era, with four of those victories coming in the last two seasons. “I”m real proud of how we came out and started the game. We had a lot of energy... a lot of positive vibe going on. It was fun.” “We know Maryland was short-handed today, they are going to be a great team all season long. “We wanted to be aggressive,” Moore said. “I thought we got a little sloppy in the second half, too many turnovers... we have to understand time and score better. That’s on me.”

The Wolfpack were led by Elissa Cunane and Jakia Brown-Turner who both posted double-doubles. Cunane scored a team high 20 points and added 10 rebounds, while Brown- Turner scored 12 points with 11 rebounds. Diamond Johnson also added 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals off the bench.

“I say we have six starters, and the nice thing about Diamond is she comes in and gives us a spark... a lot of energy which let’s us go... she had seven defensive boards. When she came in that first half, was able to get to the rim some, get a dish or two, I thought she gave us a jolt of energy as well,” Moore said. “We have to make sure we keep good balance... Diamond helps us do that. Jada is the same way as Diamond, she gives you a bolt of energy. I thought in the first half she played extremely well... she can get to the rim, run the floor.”

NC State led by as many as 24 and the closest the Terrapins would get in the second half was 15 points.

Six of the seven participating teams have played in last season’s NCAA Tournament. Other teams include Washington State, Miami and South Florida. All seven games of the Pink Flamingo Championship will be broadcast on FloHoops,

The Bahamas Championship also opened last night and Prime Minister Philip Davis was on hand for the ceremonial jumpball prior to tipoff.

The “Bahamas Championship” will feature four elite programmes played November 25-27 and led by the Maryland Terrapins, Richmond Spiders, Mississippi State and the Louisville Cardinals.

Games will be broadcast live on the CBS Sports Network.