Watch: Stanford’s Fran Belibi and the dunk that rocked the women’s game
STANFORD – Stanford junior Fran Belibi had dunked plenty of times in warm-ups this season, but never in a game—something her newer teammates were constantly reminding her about.
“They’ve been getting on me all year about not dunking so far,” the 6-foot-1 Colorado native said. “The freshmen have been like, ‘We came here for this, so where is it?’”
Belibi waited until the bigger stage of March Madness, but she finally delivered. Belibi became the third woman to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game with an emphatic breakaway slam as No. 1 Stanford dominated No. 16 Montana State 78-37 Friday night. The Cardinal (29-3) will host No. 8 Kansas (21-9) in the second round Sunday at 6 p.m.
In an otherwise forgettable game, Belibi’s play provided a moment that her teammates will never forget.
CAN YOU Belibi IT… She just DUNK'D ! #MarchMadness x @StanfordWBB pic.twitter.com/ROk5eBmN2h
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 19, 2022
“Thinking back on plays, people don’t remember, ‘Oh, it was a really cool 3-point shot, or it was a great shot.’ People remember the dunks,” senior guard Lexie Hull said. “I remember every single one of Fran’s. To be right there was super cool and definitely a memory I’ll have forever.”
Belibi first dunked in a game as a high school sophomore. She had dunks against Cal and UCLA last season, but both games were on the road.
Her time came midway through the second quarter on Friday, with Stanford already leading 29-6. Knowing that Montana State’s post players like to shoot from outside, Belibi jumped out to block a 3-point attempt by forward Taylor Janssen. She then raced down the right side of the court, and with Janssen in pursuit, threw down a one-handed slam with her right hand.
It was the first dunk in the history of women’s basketball at Maples Pavilion, and according to the Associated Press only the third one in tournament history, following dunks by Candace Parker in 2006 and Brittney Griner in 2013.
The play got a standing ovation from the announced crowd of 3,648, which saw Stanford host an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in three years. The 2020 tournament was canceled and the entire 2021 tournament was played in San Antonio, Texas because of COVID concerns.
“To be able to do it in a game and to have all those fans with us and to hear the crowd for a really long time, it was like 30 seconds. That’s a long time to be cheering,” Belibi said. “And just to hear how loud it was in there, that was definitely a highlight.”
She was engulfed by teammates at the next timeout and video of the play quickly spread on social media.
“It’s really funny because I dunk all the time, and when I look back at pictures, everyone is still just as excited as if it was their first time seeing it,” Belibi said. “I think it’s really cool to see that on their faces.”
But Belibi’s night was more than just one spectacular play. She had a game-high 13 rebounds and added 12 points, two blocks and two assists in 14 minutes in her first tournament game at Maples.
And her dunk wasn’t the only history Stanford made Friday night. The Cardinal held the Bobcats scoreless for the entire first quarter, the first time Stanford has shut out a team in a quarter since the NCAA changed from 20-minute halves before the 2015-16 season. Montana State missed its first 21 shots and trailed 23-0 before Janssen made a lay-up 45 seconds into the second quarter.
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer knows the competition will get tougher Sunday against Kansas, which leads the Big 12 in blocks and field goal percentage defense.
“Every round you just get challenged more, and we’ll be very challenged by Kansas,” VanDerveer said, who is appearing in a record 36th NCAA Tournament.
Kansas defeated No. 9 Georgia Tech 77-58 in its first NCAA Tournament game since 2013.
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