Tournament Expectations

Dick Rockne, in his Pac-10 column, predicts that the Tournament will be a coronation for the Cardinal. They have the players ... the momentum ... and the heritage.



But everyone's in this to win. Here are predictions from the San Francisco Chronicle and articles about each team's expectations:

• Stanford: Comes in with a 15-game win streak and probably will end up as a No. 2 NCAA seed, no matter what.
  The Stanford Daily: Candice and her teammates are looking forward to the last stretch of the season.
  Palo Alto Daily: Stanford knows Cal and Arizona State would love another shot to knock the Cardinal from its perch.
• Cal: Can solidify a No. 3 seed with a strong showing; could be a No. 2 if it wins title.
  Mercury News: Cal is playing for recognition. For national impact. And for the future of its program.
• Arizona State: Certain to make the NCAAs, but could improve its seeding.
  Web Devil: The Sun Devils are viewing this weekend as their one last chance to impress the NCAA Selection Committee before the brackets are revealed on March 17.
• USC: Leading scorer and rebounder Nadia Parker is out for the season, and nothing less than a title will get Women of Troy into the NCAAs.
  Daily Trojan: Mark Trakh said about UCLA's possible "out-to-get-us" motive. "We don't care what they're out for. We're out there to win the game."
• UCLA: Young and unpredictable, the Bruins could come up big if they are unpredictably good.
  Daily Bruin: "We get beat (by USC) twice, and now we’re playing them in the first round. If anyone isn’t excited about that, they shouldn’t be in a UCLA uniform,” Olivier said.
• Washington: Stayed off the Friday night schedule by beating Cal and capable of the unexpected.
  Seattle P-I: What the Huskies must do to win the first quarterfinal game of the tournament is effectively handle ASU's pressure defense.
• Oregon: Looking to wind up on a good note, which would mean one win and a second-round game against Cal.
  The Register-Guard: If the Ducks want to play later in the weekend, they’d do well to forget that the possibility even exists.
• Oregon State: Have lost 9 of 10. Should be a short stay.
  Corvallis Gazette-Times: “It (playing Stanford in the quarter-finals) would be a great opportunity to play the best, which I’m excited about,” LaVonda Wagner said.
• Arizona: Could make it to Day 2. Joan Bonvicini's job could depend on it.
  Tucson Citizen: Will the Arizona women's basketball team follow its familiar pattern (losing to Stanford in the second round) in the Pac-10 Tournament?
• Washington State: Only team never to have won a Pac-10 tournament game. That run will probably continue.