Bombin’ Bonnie

STANFORD, Calif. – Bonnie Samuelson dropped in career-high 30 points and Kaylee Johnson notched the second double-double of her young career to help No. 16 Stanford snap a two-game losing streak and defeat UC Davis, 71-59, in Maples Pavilion on Monday afternoon.

The elder Samuelson was 8-of-13 from the field, 6-of-10 from deep and an uncharacteristic 8-of-10 at the line. The senior had made 44 consecutive free throws before missing her first since Dec. 2013 late in the first half. She set a personal best in made field goals, tied her previous high in 3-pointers and in the process became the first Stanford player not named Ogwumike to score 30 in a game since Jeanette Pohlen poured in 31 against Connecticut on Dec. 30, 2010.

Samuelson was inserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season and sixth time in her career and it paid dividends immediately. She made her first two from distance in the game’s first three minutes as Stanford built a lead as large as six in the early going.

Starting alongside younger sister Karlie for the first time, the sisters carried the Cardinal in the first half. The two combined to score 21 of Stanford’s 34 in the opening period on 6-of-11 shooting and 6-of-9 from 3-point range.

“My shot was feeling good and I felt like I was in a good flow," Bonnie said. "It was fun to start with Karlie. We were excited to try to get us going in the beginning.”

Stanford’s early edge evaporated and the Cardinal trailed 23-20 with 6:13 to go until the break.

Cue the Samuelsons. Bonnie drained a free throw then a triple, Karlie hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Bonnie capped the run with another pair of freebies. The sisters outscored 12-2 during the 2:10 stretch and handed Stanford its largest lead of the first half, 32-25, with 3:25 to play.

Picking up right where she left off with the Cardinal on top 34-30 coming out of intermission, Samuelson continued to make UC Davis (4-7) pay and scored six of Stanford’s first eight in the period. She took the ball, drove left, scooped it up and in and was fouled, making the free throw for the old-fashioned 3-point play. Two minutes later it was another dagger from distance off an assist from Amber Orrange to push Stanford ahead 42-38 with 17:40 remaining.

“She gave us a great lift out there," head coach Tara VanDerveer said of the senior Samuelson. "I'm not sure how she got open but she worked hard for us. Karlie is helping a lot [too]. She's a great glue player.”

The Aggies cut the deficit to three, 48-45, on a pair of Rachel Nagel free throws with 12:47 left, but that’s as close as they would get. Samuelson’s sixth and final 3-pointer came with 3:18 to go and widened Stanford’s gap to double digits for the first time, 65-53.

UC Davis was forced to foul and Samuelson converted 4-of-5 at the line inside of the last minute to seal the win and snap Stanford’s first two-game losing streak since Dec. 2010.

Following a rough offensive trip to the state of Tennessee which saw Stanford have eight assists on 31 made baskets in two games against Chattanooga and the Lady Vols, the Cardinal assisted on 13 of its 25 made buckets on Monday afternoon. Orrange led the way with four and Lili Thompson and Alex Green both added three.

Orrange also contributed a Stanford season-high four steals to preserve the result. With 3:38 to go she made a nifty drive and reverse layup to put her team up nine, promptly picked Kelsey Harris’ pocket as she passed midcourt and set up Samuelson for the ever-important 3-pointer from the top to give the Cardinal that 12-point advantage, 65-53.

Kaylee Johnson fouled out late, but not before tallying her second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The nation’s leading freshman rebounder also corralled more than 10 for the sixth time in her first 11 career games.

Stanford was out-rebounded for the fourth time this season, 35-30, but won its first game when that happens. The Cardinal had been 0-3. Stanford shot 46.3 percent, its best clip since the final two games of the Rainbow Wahine Shootout in Honolulu.

Neither team was able to get out in transition and score on the break.

Stanford returns to Maples to close out its non-conference schedule on Sunday, Dec. 28 when it hosts UC Santa Barbara (0-10) at 2 p.m.