Stanford falls in key Pac-12 showdown with Oregon

STANFORD - Sabrina Ionescu’s strength inspired her Oregon coaches and teammates all day, from the way she courageously spoke at the memorial service for Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles earlier in the day, then flew back to the Bay Area and took the court shortly after vomiting in the locker room, all before leading the Ducks with yet another brilliant performance on both ends.

And doing something never done before in college basketball, by a man or a woman.

Ionescu became the first player in NCAA history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 1,000 rebounds and notched her record 26th career triple-double, too, leading No. 3 Oregon past fourth-ranked Stanford 74-66 on Monday night.

Ionescu wasn’t made available to the media for a second straight game, speaking to ESPN on Monday.

“That one was for him. To do it on 2-24-20 was huge,” she told the network. “We talked about it in the preseason. I can’t put it into words. He’s looking down and proud of me and happy for this moment with my team.”

Ionescu hit the milestone on a defensive rebound with 1:47 remaining in the third quarter and finished with 21 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds in her first triple-double against a top-10 opponent and eighth overall this season to help Oregon? (26-2, 15-1 Pac-12) clinch at least a share of its third straight ?Pac-12 regular-season title.

“Incredible. I thought she was so poised and so heartfelt today,” said coach Kelly Graves, whose wife Mary accompanied Ionescu. “At her age and relative limited experience and things like that, I just thought she nailed it. It was amazing, and she wrote that, and that was from her. She’s pretty special in more ways that just what you’re seeing on the court.”

Ionescu also had a triple-?double Friday night at Cal while playing near her East Bay hometown of Walnut Creek, then delivered her eighth career road triple-double for the Ducks on an emotional day just hours after attending the service for Bryant and daughter, Gianna, in Southern California.

“I don’t know many people that could have done what she did today,” Graves said. “... I knew this was the way it was going to end tonight for her. I’m glad that it ended in a victory but I knew that she was going to get that. It’s so fitting that she did it tonight.”

Hall of Fame Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer wasn’t surprised by Ionescu’s toughness despite her difficult day.

“She’s a player. I didn’t expect anything different than what we saw,” VanDerveer said.

She now has 2,467, 1,041 assists and 1,003 rebounds, helping Oregon secure Monday at least 15 conference wins for a third consecutive season. Ionescu shot 9 for 19, missing her three 3-point attempts. She had plenty of help from Satou Sabally, who scored 27 points on 10-for-17 shooting with four 3-pointers.

“When she came back, we were there for her. It wasn’t the easiest day but she always has our backs so it was our turn to have her back,” Sabally said. “We just lifted her up.”

Warriors star Stephen Curry sat on the baseline supporting Ionescu and women’s basketball for the second straight game she played in Northern California after he was in Berkeley with his two daughters Friday night. He watched Oregon run its winning streak to 14 and nine straight on the road.