Posts by Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith has covered women's basketball nationally for nearly three decades. Smith has worked for ESPN.com, The Athletic, the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as Pac-12.com and WNBA.com. She was named to the Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame in 2015, is the 2017 recipient of the Jake Wade Media Award from the Collegiate Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA) and was named the Mel Greenberg Media Award winner by the WBCA in 2019.

Junior forward Kiki Iriafen places Stanford's nameplate on the bracket after scoring 41 points to lead the Cardinal to an 87-81 overtime win over Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 24, 2024 at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif. (Photo courtesy of Stanford Athletics)

This time, Stanford survives NCAA Tournament second-round scare to advance out of Maples

March 25, 2024

35 games into the season and headed to the Sweet 16 in Portland, Stanford are still learning about themselves

USC's JuJu Watkins celebrates her team's victory. Photo credit: USC Athletics

Bigger challenges lie ahead for Pac-12 NCAA Tournament teams

March 24, 2024

In a very chalky weekend so far, six of the seven Pac-12 entrants move on to the second round Sunday and Monday.

Iowa State Cyclones center Audi Crooks (55), forward Jalynn Bristow (1), and guard Emily Ryan (11) celebrate with guard Hannah Belanger (13) after a four-point play against Cincinnati during the third quarter of a NCAA women's basketball at Hilton Coliseum on March 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State’s Audi Crooks makes grand NCAA Tournament debut with 40-point gem

March 23, 2024

Crooks led the way as the Cyclones came back from down 20 to beat Maryland.

Diamond Johnson drives to the hoop

Diamond Johnson returns to the big stage with Norfolk State

March 22, 2024

Johnson, at her third school in four years, makes her second trip to the NCAA Tournament as her Norfolk State prepares to take on on Stanford

Stanford forward Kiki Iriafen goes for a layup during a game against Indiana at Maples Pavilion. No other players can be seen around the paint.

Kiki Iriafen is no second fiddle for Stanford

March 21, 2024

The junior forward’s breakout season makes her the backbone of the Cardinal’s tourney hopes

The Texas women's basketball celebrates winning the Big 12 title on March 13.

NCAA Tournament preview, storylines: Portland 4 Regional

March 19, 2024

Texas, Stanford prepare to fight for their trip to Cleveland

Stanford's Cameron brink goes up for a shot against Oregon State's Timea Gardiner.

Cameron Brink declares for 2024 WNBA Draft

March 12, 2024

Brink announced Tuesday afternoon with a social media post that she will be moving on to the WNBA following her final NCAA run with the Stanford Cardinal

USC celebrates punching its ticket to the NCAA Tournament after beating Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game on March 10, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Photo courtesy of the Pac-12 Conference)

‘Best day ever’: USC takes home the (final) Pac-12 Tournament title

March 10, 2024

“There is a lot of pride in being the final champions in this league.”

Stanford's Hannah Jump and Brooke Demetre smile and celebrate a win in the Pac-12 Tournament.

Hannah Jump calls for her moment to lift Stanford into Pac-12 Tournament final

March 9, 2024

The Cardinal are starting to answer a question that’s vexed them all year: Who else will come up big?

USC star JuJu Watkins shouts instructions as she dribbles the ball with her left hand under pressure.

The legend of JuJu Watkins grows after Pac-12 Tournament semifinal win over UCLA

March 9, 2024

But Watkins also had critical help in critical moments