LAS VEGAS (Interstat) — In a back-and-forth battle at the Resorts World Classic, the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles outlasted the Stanford Cardinal 66-62 in a nonconference women’s basketball game Friday.

The Eagles used a decisive 26-point third-quarter surge to overcome a halftime deficit and held off a late Stanford rally to secure the victory.

Stanford, the visiting team, controlled the early tempo, leading 15-14 after a tightly contested first quarter. The Cardinal offense, however, stalled in the second period, managing only 10 points. A stout defensive effort by Florida Gulf Coast kept them in check, and the Eagles took a 28-25 lead into halftime.

The game turned dramatically in the third quarter. Florida Gulf Coast’s offense ignited, pouring in 26 points while its defense continued to disrupt Stanford’s rhythm. The Eagles built a double-digit cushion, capitalizing on Stanford turnovers and converting in transition. Despite a 23-point quarter from the Cardinal, fueled by the interior presence of Nunu Agara, they could not keep pace with the Eagles’ outburst and entered the final period trailing 54-48.

Stanford mounted a determined comeback in the fourth quarter, chipping away at the lead behind the scoring of Chloe Clardy. The Cardinal defense tightened, holding the Eagles to just 12 points in the period. With under 10 seconds remaining, Clardy drained a 3-pointer to pull Stanford within a single point at 65-64.

On the ensuing inbound play, Stanford was forced to foul. Florida Gulf Coast’s Karina Gordon stepped to the line and made the first free throw but missed the second, leaving the door open for Stanford, down 66-64, with 5.1 seconds left. Stanford’s final attempt, a desperation 3-pointer by Hailee Swain as time expired, missed the mark, sealing the win for the Eagles.

Nunu Agara led all scorers for Stanford, finishing with 22 points. Chloe Clardy added 16 points for the Cardinal, with several coming during the frantic final minutes.

Florida Gulf Coast’s victory was a balanced effort. Anna Mortag led the Eagles with 13 points, including two critical free throws in the final seconds. Maca Retamales contributed 14 points, while Karina Gordon and Sinai Douglas added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Douglas also dished out a team-high four assists.

With the loss, Stanford’s record falls to 7-1. The Cardinal had entered the game on a seven-game winning streak, including dominant victories over Lehigh and UC Davis earlier in the week. Florida Gulf Coast improved its record to 2-3, snapping a two-game skid that included losses to Indiana and George Mason.

Stanford will look to rebound quickly as it remains in Las Vegas to face Colorado State on Saturday. Florida Gulf Coast will also stay in the tournament, facing Troy on Saturday.