Pac-10 Tournament: Semifinals

There were three events at the Staples Center this afternoon: two basketball games and an award.

Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Congratulations to Kayla, who was honored today as the Toyo Tires® Pac-10 Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

(Photo is of video screen - Kayla had her back to us)

She will graduate from Stanford with a degree in communication and psychology, while boasting a 3.53 grade point average. A national player of the year candidate and four-time All-Pac-10 pick, Kayla has been a significant contributor to a Cardinal squad that has won the Pac-10 regular-season crown in each of her four seasons, three Conference tournament titles and has three trips to the NCAA Womens's Final Four. She enters the championship ranks 19th all-time in the Pac-10 history books with 1,861 points, and third all-time in career rebounding with 1,211.

The award is presented in each of the 22 sports the Pac-10 sponsors. Toyo Tires® has donated $1,000 to the scholarship funds of Stanford Women's Basketball in recognition of Kayla's accomplishments.

Read more in the Stanford Athletics announcement.

UCLA vs California

The game between #2 UCLA and #6 California was the more interesting of the women's semifinal games. UCLA won 63-50 and, as expected, will advance to the championship game.

The outcome was never in doubt. The game was interesting (at least to this Cardinal fan) because the Bruins never succeeded in putting away the Bears. The Bears came back each time the Bruins pulled farther ahead. Cal "won" the second half by one point

Here are game reports:

• No 7 UCLA Knocks off Cal, 63-50, Advances to Finals by Greg Meacham, Associated Press.
• UCLA women reach Pac-10 final, but Stanford is waiting by Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times

And the box score and play-by-play

Stanford vs Arizona

In the first semifinal game, #1 Stanford defeated #4 Arizona, as expected, and will advance to the title game against UCLA. The Cardinal dominated the Wildcats from beginning to end and defeated them 100-64.

Arizona's perimeter shooting was still "on" this afternoon, as it was last night. They hit nine of 19 3-point attempts (Stanford hit only four of 13). But that wasn't nearly enough to make up for Stanford's points in the paint — mostly by Nneka who scored 32 points on 68% shooting, Chiney who scored 21 at 77%, and Kayla who scored 16 at 50%.

Stanford also won the rebounding battle 41-29. The Wildcats simply were no match for the Cardinal in the paint. Perhaps partly due to tired legs?

Here are game reports:

• No. 2 Stanford Drops Arizona, 100-71, In Pac-10 Tourney Semifinals by Beth Harris, Associated Press
• Ogwumike sisters carry Stanford women's basketball team past Arizona in Pac-10 semifinals by Jeff Faraudo, Oakland Tribune
• Nneka Ogwumike scores 32 points as Stanford women advance to Pac-10 title game by Jake Curtis

The box score and play-by-play,

The press conference video with Tara, Nneka and Chiney