Party time for Cardinal vs. Arizona?

Sue Bair's report of the Santa Clara game has been classified as non-premium by The Bootleg :

The Cardinal did not produce an inspired effort against Arizona, but Candice Wiggins did get to celebrate her birthday and Jayne Appel her new Stanford single-season record for blocked shots with a deceptively easy 69-46 triumph over the Wildcats. Kayla Pedersen added 18. Hannah Donaghe impressed with energy and hustle.

Enjoy!

Cardinal outplay Wildcats

Tara wasn't really excited about the Cardinal's performance against the Wildcats. But they out-scored, out-rebounded and generally outplayed Arizona for their 11th straight win.

Candice still made the difference, although she scored "only" 19 points. Kayla added 18, Jayne 12. Hannah scored the prettiest two points -- a graceful layup of Candice's full-court pass.

Jayne had another double-double and three blocks, breaking her own single-season record of 61 that she set a year ago.

• Cardinal crushes Wildcats by Scott Bland (The Stanford Daily)
  
  
• Wiggins celebrates 21st with sweet 16 by Bryan Chu (San Francisco Chronicle)
  
  
• 'Cats dominated by Cardinal again by Bobby Stover (The Wildcat Online)
  
  
• An audio slide show by Nhat V. Meyer (Mercury News)
  
  
• The AP game recap and photo gallery from Stanford Athletics
  
  
• The box score and play-by-play

Here comes Arizona

This is a big week for the Cardinal. They have to defend their Pac-10 second-place position from third-place ASU and an improving Arizona. And it's the last home week of the regular season. Do you think Charli will give Candice the graduation present she promised her?

It's a huge week for ASU, their last chance to show they can be as good as they expected to be this season.

Here are some stories from Stanford's viewpoint:

• 3-way competition comes to a head by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
• ASU may have to wait until next year by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
• The last stand by Haley Murphy (The Stanford Daily)
• Truth time for Stanford men and Arizona State women by Gordon Kass (Palo Alto Daily News)

... from ASU:

• Tough Bay Area road trip awaits ASU women by Al Bravo (East Valley Tribune)
• Perimeter shooting is key for ASU women by Jason P. Skoda (The Arizona Republic)
• Sun Devils get another crack at Pac-10 leader Cal by Gina Mizell (Web Devil)

... from the University of Arizona:

• Women's basketball team flirts with milestones by Bryan Roy (The Arizona Daily Wildcat)

... and from Cal:

• First-place Cal must improve offensively by Jennifer Starks (Inside Bay Area)

Don't get so engrossed in reading all this that you forget to come to the game tonight!

Are You Thinking Pink Yet?

by Dave Cortesi

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association has organized "Think Pink" breast cancer awareness events at many games this month. Stanford's Think Pink event is next Saturday, February 16th. Here are some pictures from other teams' events that have already been held.

The Oregon band and visiting cheerleaders. Devanei Hampton and Rama N'diaye warming up Essence Carson asks Shannon Bobbit, "Where's your pink?" (ESPN)Two fans of the Hartford Hawks (SPMsportspage.com) An usher at OSU (Don Anderson)OSU Fans (Don Anderson)

Injury's tough; so is she

Here is a nice story about Jillian (and fellow Oregonian, JJ) from The Oregonian, by Jeff Smith.

Paye back

John Reid (Palo Alto Daily) writes of Kate Paye's return to Stanford as an assistant coach for the Cardinal.

Tara didn't suspect that Kate would become a coach someday. "Once she left law for coaching, I knew this was someone that, if we have an opening, I wanted to get."

"I just missed basketball too much," Kate said. "It means something extra special to be coaching at a place you played at, your alma mater. It's a program that has meant so much to me my entire life."

Card needs her harmonic game

Warren Grimes, contributing correspondent to The Bootleg, gives his thoughts on the multifaceted game of Cardinal junior forward Jillian Harmon and the impact of her recent foot injury on the Cardinal.

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?

(More ... )

OSU hangs tough with Cardinal

It was a pleasant evening at Gill Colosseum among the season-record 3477 basketball fans. It seemed to me that the Beavers played a better, stronger game than the Oregon Ducks did on Thursday night. Perhaps that was partly due to the Cardinal not playing as well. Tara was certainly not pleased with their lack of energy. But my hopes that we play well enough to win and that no-one is injured were realized.

OSU hangs tough with Stanford by Brooks Hatch (Corvallis Gazette-Times)

Cardinal win 10th straight by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)

The AP game recap from Stanford Athletics.

Box score and play-by-play

Cardinal roll over Ducks

There is a group of about 90 Stanford alumni in Eugene, Oregon. Those that are women's basketball fans welcomed the visiting Cardinal fans with a pizza party before the game.

After that, we walked next door to historic Mac Court, where we found Haagen-Daaz ice cream bars for just $3.50, the best mascot in the Pac-10, a good many very supportive fans and a young team that was no match for the Cardinal.

There were some unusual statistics in Oregon at 7:45 pm last night;

• In Eugene, the score was Candice 15, Kayla 13, Oregon 12.
• In Corvallis, the Oregon State Beavers had 13 points and 11 turnovers; Cal had 11 points and 12 turnovers. (But Cal pulled themselves together in the second half and won 56-45.)

Here are the reports of the Cardinal/Duck game:

• Stanford schools Oregon by Rob Moseley (The Register-Guard)
• Cardinal roll over Ducks by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Hot start propels Stanford by Haley Murphy (The Stanford Daily)
• Wiggins, Stanford shoot down the Ducks, 72-43 by Rick Eymer (Palo Alto Online)
• The AP game recap from Stanford Athletics.
• The box score and play-by-play

The best of the best of the best

Rob Moseley (The Register-Guard) writing of Candice's last visit to Mac Court tonight says, "She’s the best of the best of the best."

And the Duck's coach, Bev Smith, says, “Her will is so strong.“It’s incredible to watch. It was incredible to watch in high school, and — unfortunately — it’s incredible to watch now. She gives me goosebumps sometimes in watching her will to win.”

Dick Rockne (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) says that she might be the Pac-10's best ever because she can do more things better than just about anybody.