Next up: Pepperdine & UC Davis

After a great start on the road, the Cardinal plays its first home game of the season tonight against the Pepperdine Waves. If you're a Stanford student, come to Maples early tonight and eat some free BBQ from Jimmy V before the game. Everyone: Enjoy the unicycle basketball at halftime—it should be amazing.

Then the Cardinal hits the road again, but only for 114 miles, to UC Davis on Sunday.

Pepperdine Waves

Cardinal fans are always happy to welcome back Pepperdine head coach Julie Rousseau, who was an assistant coach at Stanford. This is Rousseau's sixth season at Pepperdine. She was an assistant coach for USA Basketball at the World University Games this summer.

Pepperdine went 16-13 last season, #3 in the WCC. They lost two starters to graduation and are now a very young team with six freshmen, five sophomores, and just two seniors. They have begun this season well, with two victories against Northern Arizona and San Jose State.

Their three leading scorers are:

• Senior forward/center Miranda Ayim, pictured on the right, is the team captain and leading scorer (15.5 ppg). She was named Pepperdine's Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2008-09
• Sophomore guard Jazmine Jackson averages 14.0 ppg
• Sophomore guard Lauren Bell averages 12.0 ppg and is the leading 3-point shooter (33.3%)

The Waves will have a struggle with Stanford's Bigs. Miranda Ayim is 6-3. Their other tall forward/center, sophomore Alex Jarell, is 6-4. Between them, they average eight rebounds per game.

So far this season, the Waves are 2-0. They are #1 in the WCC and their RPI is 135. Here are their 2009-10 Team Statistics and their roster.

UC Davis Aggies

Yet again this season, the Donaghe sisters will not face up to each other on the basketball court. Hannah is out this season. Last year, big sister Haylee was out with an ACL—she's a red-shirt senior this season.

The Aggies return eleven letterwinners this year and are looking to make a run for their first Big West Conference championship. Here's more about their expectations.

Their top players three games in to the season are:

• Junior post Paige Mintun, pictured on the right, is their top scorer (15.0 ppg) and rebounder (4.7 rpg).
• Senior wing Heidi Heintz averages 10.0 ppg.
• Sophomore wing Kasey Riecks averages 9.7 ppg and is 35.7% on 3-pointers.
• Sophomore wing Cortney French averages just 7.7 ppg, but is the most prolific beyond the arc—seven of 12 in three games for 58.3%

The Aggies have begun their quest for the Big West championship with two victories and one loss—to Washington State in Pullman. Their RPI is 202. Here are their 2009-10 Team Statistics and their roster .