Candice & Brooke named AP All-Americans

STANFORD, Calif. - Junior guard Candice Wiggins and senior forward/center Brooke Smith were selected to the Associated Press All-America team, which was released Wednesday and voted on by a panel of 50 members. Wiggins was tabbed a Second Team All-American while Smith was named an All-America Honorable Mention pick. (More ...)

Clare named First Team Pac-10 All-Academic

STANFORD, Calif.- Seniors Clare Bodensteiner, Kristen Newlin and Brooke Smith have been named to the Pac-10 All-Academic squad, as announced by Commissioner Tom Hansen.

To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant contributor.

Bodensteiner was tabbed to the First Team. A psychology major completing coursework toward her master's degree in the School of Education, Bodensteiner participated in 26 games this year off the bench, averaging 1.1 points and 0.6 rebounds per game in just over seven minutes of playing time.

Newlin and Smith, the only two Cardinal players to start every game this year, were Honorable Mention selections.(More ...)

Love hurts sometimes

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

. . . That experience ended abruptly for the Stanford players Monday night and their reaction was genuine. It was painful to see, and a privilege to behold. The athletes showed love for their team and teammates and love of the game.

And sometimes, love hurts. (More ...)

Jayne sets single-season blocking record

Jayne blocks a shot (but this one's a foul)
in the Pac-10 Tournament Quarterfinal game.
(Photo by Don Anderson)

Jayne Appel became Stanford's single-season record holder for blocked shots when she swatted away a lay-up attempt by Florida State's Nikki Anthony at the 11:44 mark of the first half. For good measure, she blocked Anthony's retry to give her a total of 60 and finished with 61.

The previous record of 58 was established by Cori Enghusen in 2001-02.

We look forward to watching Jayne challenge Val Whiting's career record of 201 blocked shots in the next three seasons.

The last game

Chopped down

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

Stanford's rock-and-roll hopes collapsed into a pile of rubble Monday night at Maples Pavilion.
The season with Final Four potential ended with another stunning second-round disappointment on the Cardinal's home floor. (More ...)

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Stanford falls flat once again at Maples

By: Mechelle Voepel, ESPN

I gave a quick call Monday night to a friend who is -- or was -- a Stanford fan. "It's officially over," she said. "They're dead to me."
She doesn't really mean it but … it was that kind of horrible night for those who love -- but now don't want to love -- the Cardinal. Some Stanford fans probably feel like they simply can not take any more. (More ...)

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Home groan

By: Ann Killion, Mercury News

This was a two-year deal for Stanford: Host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament this year, and the university gets the privilege of hosting the first and second rounds next year, too.
Here's some advice for Stanford: politely decline. (More ...)

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Stanford women shocked at home

By: Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News

Jayne Appel was crying, her face as red as the letters on her jersey. Nearby, Candice Wiggins held an equally distraught Brooke Smith.
The unthinkable happened Monday night at Maples Pavilion: No. 2 seed Stanford's season ended with a 68-61 loss to 10th-seeded Florida State in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. (More ...)

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Reflections on a painful loss

By: Warren Grimes, The Bootleg

Every team but one in the NCAA Tournament will finish with a defeat, and every season-ending loss hurts. Why do Cardinalmaniacs feel so uniquely pained today? Warren Grimes gives a voice to why Stanford's second-round exit Monday night to Florida State, and other losses in recent years of the NCAAs, are so painful to endure. (More ...)

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FSU Post-Game Quotes: Wiggins & Smith

By: Mike Eubanks, The Bootleg

Anyone who has closely followed the Cardinal the last three years knows the tearful and difficult post-game interviews for Brooke Smith after rare defeats. Monday night was the ultimate hammer, ending Smith's career with an early exit in the NCAAs, so Candice Wiggins took most of the questions on what happened offensively, defensively and emotionally in the 68-61 upset loss to Florida State.t (More ...)

Audio slide show: Stanford / FSU

Here is an audio slide show of the Stanford / FSU game from The Mercury News.

FSU gets another crack at Stanford

Jacinta Monroe works on her low post game as FSU prepares for its second round game.
(Glenn Bell, Democrat)

Time to bust out the "jumbo lineup"?

By:Michelle Smith, San Franisco Chronicle

It might be time to bust out the "jumbo lineup."
Stanford didn't need it Saturday as the Cardinal opened the NCAA Tournament with a 96-58 blitzing of an undersized and overmatched Idaho State team.
However, the second-seeded Cardinal might need to marshal their size and depth inside in tonight's second-round game against No. 10-seed Florida State. (More ...)

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How Stanford and Florida State match up

By: Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News

Bottom line: Florida State's athleticism could cause Stanford some problems, but the Cardinal's multitude of options and home-court advantage point to it advancing to the regional semifinals in Fresno. (More ...)

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Stanford's and FSU's guard problems

By: Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News

Mara Freshour is still getting used to being Florida State's starting point guard; Stanford's Candice Wiggins can relate.
Their teams will meet at 7:30 tonight at Maples Pavilion in the second round of the NCAA women's basketball tournament, nearly a full year after Stanford's 88-70 victory over the Seminoles at this stage of the tournament. The rematch might not be taking place if not for No.2 seed Stanford (29-4) and No.10 Florida State (23-9) salvaging potentially devastating situations at point guard. (More ...)

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Familiar opponent awaits FSU

By: Derek Redd, Palm Beach Post

After its second-round NCAA Tournament exit last season, the Florida State women's basketball team hoped it would, one day, get another crack at Stanford, the team that eliminated the Seminoles.
That one day is tonight. (More ...)

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FSU has hope for upset

By: Randy Beard, Tallahassee Democrat

If Sue Semrau dips into the NCAA women's basketball tournament record book, she'll find a glimmer of hope for her Florida State team. (More ...)

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Pregame Quotes

From: GoStanford

Tara's opening statement: "Florida State is going to be a great challenge for our team. They have a great inside outside game, they're very athletic, they rebound really well, and they have a lot of options offensively. I think our team is going to have to come out and play really well. We want to continue the momentum I think we've had through the season, the tournament, and the beginning of the NCAA." (More ...)

Sue Semrau's opening statement: "We're excited to advance to the second round. We're familiar with Stanford from a year ago. I think both teams are very different though, obviously Stanford is a year older with tremendous players. Candice Wiggins is one of the best players we've played against all year long. She wore us out last year; she's a great player. Brooke Smith is a great player as well and we're very familiar with her as well. We feel like our styles are completely different, it will be interesting to see those two styles match up tomorrow night." (More ...)

Stanford still stinging from big loss 10 years later

By: Ann Killion, Mercuy News

Vanessa Nygaard had a dream. The former Stanford player envisioned the Cardinal trouncing Old Dominion tonight by 50 points and Candice Wiggins ripping off her jersey in front of the ODU bench to reveal a T-shirt proclaiming "Payback's a ..." - well, you know the rest.

But Nygaard's dream won't come true. Not just because Wiggins isn't that kind of a player. But also because Florida State knocked off ODU on Saturday and will face Stanford in the NCAA tournament's second round tonight. (More ...)

The first hurdle has been cleared

Stanford is on the ball

By: Dylan Hernandez, The Mercury News

Brooke Smith couldn't miss. Neither could Cissy Pierce. As a result, Stanford scored a 95-58 blowout of Idaho State in its opening game of the NCAA women's basketball tournament Saturday at Maples Pavilion. (More ...)

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Stanford shows it matters little where

By: Ann Killion, The Mercury News

No offense to Newlee, but it probably wouldn't have mattered where this game had taken place: at Maples, at a high school gym in Switzerland or Newlee's driveway in Pocatello. The outcome probably would have been the same. (More ...)

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Leading off with a laugher

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

The Cardinal women opened the NCAA Tournament with exactly the kind of energy and execution they were aiming for -- plus a pleasant-surprise performance for good measure. (More ...)

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Cardinal can't lose when their X-factor is hitting jumpers

By: Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle

Saturday was a day at the beach for Stanford, and any future opponents scouting the game would have dozed off early in the lopsided win over poor Idaho State, except... A very disturbing blip popped onto the scouts' radar screens. Cissy Pierce. (More ...)

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ISU Post-Game Quotes

By: Mike Eubanks, The Bootleg

There were few tough questions to answer for the Cardinal after they blew out the Bengals on Saturday afternoon. Stanford romped in their 96-58 NCAA first round win, with a particularly hot start offensively for Cissy Pierce and Brooke Smith. They talked about taking what the Idaho State zone defense gave them, while Candice Wiggins discussed what her teammates hitting does for her and Stanford. (More ...)

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FSU, Stanford created a first-round buzz

By: Randy Beard, Tallahassee Democrat

Sue Semrau considers it the next step in the development of her Florida State program. Somehow, some way, one of these days, she knows the Seminoles need to find a way to advance to the second weekend - otherwise known as the Sweet 16 stage - of the NCAA women's basketball tournament. (More ...)

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Stanford women take first step toward Final Four

By: Rick Eymer, Palo Alto Weekly

Brooke Smith was unstoppable, Jayne Appel was a force on defense and the Stanford women’s basketball team took its first steps along the road toward Cleveland, site of this year’s Final Four. (More ...)

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Stanford cruises in NCAAs

By: John Reid, Palo Alto Daily News

Stanford center Brooke Smith squared up unguarded with the ball on the left baseline, hesitated, then swished a 15-foot shot with more than 12 minutes left in Saturday's first round NCAA women's tournament game against Idaho State at Maples Pavilion. As Smith ran back down the court, she couldn't help but let loose with a smile. (More ...)

Audio Slide Shows: Stanford/Idaho State and Florida State/ODU

Here are two audio slide shows from The Mercury News:

• The Stanford/Idaho State game
• The Florida State/ODU game

We're going to miss Brooke

From the cheap seats

By: MizzouCard, The Bootleg

The NCAA Tournament starts the "final season" of this year of Stanford Women's Basketball, and we hope it has a magnificent ending. But that's the problem - there will be an ending. For one man, the painful realization is that we (and Stanford) will soon lose Brooke Smith. You may share that sorrow, but you may not have quite the same reason for this heartfelt fandom. (More ...)

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Her final hurrah

By: Dylan Hernandez, The Mercury News

Something is missing from Brooke Smith's Stanford experience: She has never been to a Final Four in a Cardinal uniform. (More ...)

Idaho State is first hurdle to clear

Tara schmoozes with Idaho State coach Jon Newlee during their team's practices on Friday
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Cardinal hoping to ward off Bengals

By: John Reid, Palo Alto Daily News

Stanford (28-4) has climbed to No. 5 in the country in the latest Associated Press poll. Head coach Tara VanDerveer will tell you that and $1.75 will buy you a hot cup of coffee somewhere. The Cardinal, the No. 2 seed in the Fresno Regional of the NCAA Tournament, won't look past No. 15 Idaho State (17-13) when the two teams tip off at Maples Pavilion Saturday at approximately 1:30 p.m. The Bengals are fresh off winning the Big Sky Tournament, defeating Northern Arizona 84-78. (More ...)

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Idaho State - Stanford Preview

From: ESPN.com

The opportunity to potentially play its first four games close to home has Stanford excited about its latest trip to the NCAA tournament. The Cardinal will have the luxury of playing on their home floor Saturday when they face Idaho State in a first-round matchup at Maples Pavilion. (More ...)

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Stanford determined to protect its home floor in NCAAs this time

By: Janie McCauley, AP Sports

Tara VanDerveer looks back at some of Stanford's most painful NCAA tournament losses and a defeat to Minnesota at home in 2003 is right up there. (More ...)

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Opening Quotes

From: GoStanford

Stanford Opening Statement: "We are very excited to be playing in the NCAA Tournament. We know it will be a great tournament and we just want to do our very, very best and that's what our team will do." (More quotes from Tara, Candice, Brooke and New ... )

Idaho State Opening Statement: "It's been a great week since we won the Big Sky Tournament, a lot of excitement back home. I'm very excited for our team especially for all the people coming back; it's a great way to build for next year and a great way for our lone senior, Jeni Boesel to go out. She's really deserved it, she's worked so hard, everybody really has and I'm just really excited for Idaho State to be here being able to represent the Big Sky." (More quotes from Coach Jon Newlee, Andrea Lightfoot, Jeni Boesel and Natalie Doma ... )

Freshmen won't be intimidated

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

They may be a little wide-eyed come tip-off, but Stanford's freshmen said they won't be intimidated by the NCAA stage when the No. 5 Cardinal open Tournament play Saturday at Maples Pavilion against Idaho State. (More ...)

Inside job could carry Stanford far

By: Graham Hays, ESPN.com

Make no mistake, Candice Wiggins is the key to Stanford winning its third national championship (and its first since 1992). But Wiggins is like oxygen; she's always around, and at some point, a tendency develops to take her for granted instead of marveling at all she does.

Only Stanford found itself holding its breath earlier this season when Wiggins missed five games with a variety of the kind of injuries incurred when someone as wiry as the star guard plays perhaps the best all-court game in the country. And instead of passing out, the Cardinal survived by passing in, feeding the ball inside to Pac-10 country's tallest triplets this side of the Three Sisters peaks in Oregon. (More ...)

Wanted for women's game: some female fans

By: Mark Purdy, Mercury News

Today, from coast to coast, arenas will be full of fans watching the first games of the NCAA basketball tournament. There will be drama, competition and stupid mascots galore. People can't get enough of it.

So please explain the situation at Stanford this weekend. Saturday and Monday, six more NCAA games will be played at Maples Pavilion. These games will be full of excitement and passion, as well. And, yes, they will also have stupid mascots.

But they will be women's games. Not men's.

And that makes all the difference.

The listed capacity of Maples is 7,233. Yet even with Stanford's team in the eight-team field, only about 3,500 tickets had been sold for all the NCAA sessions as of Wednesday morning, according to the event's media coordinator, Gary Migdol. (More ...)

Brooke has prospered in new role

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

Brooke Smith hasn't displayed her signature hook shot too often lately as she has stepped outside to become one of Stanford's top passers.

Stanford changed for Brooke Smith and then Smith changed for Stanford.

Three years ago, the senior from San Anselmo began her career for the Cardinal as the program's first-ever transfer after she spent her freshman season at Duke. When the skilled 6-foot-3 post assumed her spot on the roster, coach Tara VanDerveer installed the triangle offense to feature Smith in the low block and take advantage of her considerable offensive skills, including the hook shot that remains her trademark. (More ...)

An Interview with Brooke, Candice and New

By: Mike Eubanks, The Bootleg

After receiving the good news of a #2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and the chance to play at/close to home through the entire regionals, Stanford players answered questions on Selection Monday. Junior Candice Wiggins updated us on her health. Fifth-year senior Brooke Smith discussed the team's postseason goals. Senior Kristen Newlin assessed the strength of Stanford and offered a message to fans. (More ...)

Tara is WBCA Regional Coach of the Year

The WBCA has named Tara the Region 8 Coach of the Year. (More ...)

Here is (GoStanford's account) of the award.

#2 seed and in Fresno Regional!

Stanford finds itself where it wants to be

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

A week ago, Stanford closed the Pac-10 tournament with a happy ending. And on Monday came the happy beginning. The No. 5-ranked Cardinal got pretty much everything they wanted from the NCAA selection committee -- a No. 2 seed and a regional placement in Fresno -- and now they just need to make good on the opportunities provided. (More ...)

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Stanford women set up for Final Four run

By: Ann Killion, Mercury News

Everything looks rocking for Stanford, right? The Cardinal - whose goal is to get to the Final Four in Cleveland, and perhaps make a side visit to the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame - will play host to games in the first two rounds of the NCAA women's basketball tournament at Maples Pavilion. The reward for victory will be a relatively short trip down Highway 99, to the regional in Fresno. (More ...)

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Stanford gets No.2 seed, shot to stay close to home

By: Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News

For the Stanford women's basketball team, the road to the Final Four consists of four games in its home state, the first two of which would be in its home arena. (More ...)

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Wiggins' return from injury has Stanford thinking Final Four

By: Associated Press, Palo Alto Daily, Monday March 12

Tara VanDerveer compared Candice Wiggins to the most competitive players she has ever coached, including a pair of Olympians who won gold in 1996: Teresa Edwards and Dawn Staley. (More ...)

Cardinal think Fresno is fabulous

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

Fresno. For some, it's a large city off Highway 99 in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley. For the Stanford Cardinal, it's their basketball happy place.

"I hope we're in Fresno," Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer said. "I think it's where we should be." (More ...)

Jayne bounces up and swings back

By: Eric Gilmore, Contra Costa Times

We've learned a lot about Stanford freshman Jayne Appel during her first trip to the Pac-10 tournament.

For starters, we learned Sunday night that she's human. And yes, that came as a shock to many who have watched her superhuman basketball exploits at Carondelet High School and Stanford. (More ...)

Brooke is Most Dependable Player

By: Dave Albee, Marin Independent Journal

. . . Smith has been Stanford's MDP - Most Dependable Player. Her start in the first-round of the NCAA tournament at Maples Pavilion on March 17 will be her 90th consecutive start with the Cardinal. She has been in the Cardinal's starting lineup for every game since Jan. 4, 2005. (More ...)

Vote for Candice for Wooden Award

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The John R. Wooden Award Committee today announced the National Ballot for the Women's Wooden Award. The official voting ballot includes the top sixteen student-athletes who will contend for this year's player of the year award. The winner will be announced on Saturday April 7 live during a national telecast on CBS from The Los Angeles Athletic Club.

This is the list of candidates.

For the first time in Wooden Award history, college basketball fans will be able to cast their vote for the Wooden Award Player of the Year. All fan votes will be tabulated and counted as one ballot towards the actual final tally.

Click here to vote.

Complete article

Brooke & Candice among finalists for Kodak/WBCA All-America Team

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), in cooperation with Eastman Kodak Company, announced the finalists today for the 2007 Kodak/WBCA All-America Basketball Team for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The 52 finalists, who are voted upon by WBCA-member coaches in each of the eight WBCA geographical regions, are now in the running for selection to the 10-member Kodak/WBCA All-America Team.

The finalists in Region 8 are:
Devanei Hampton
Eshaya Murphy
Brooke Smith
Emily Westerberg
Candice Wiggins

Full article

Hits and misses in the Pac-10

By: Sue Bair, The Bootleg
With the Pac-10 today sixth among the nation's conferences in the RPI, it comes as little surprise that there were more disappointments than delights out West this winter. For a more granular review after the conclusion of the Pac-10 Tournament, we offer a critical appraisal for how each of the 10 teams in the conference have fared in the 2006-07 season. Who hit and who missed? We'll tell you. (More ...)

Markisha followed her dream

Mike Cassidy, Mercury News columnist, has written two stories about Markisha:

• This is the one published in the Mercury News.
• This is the one in his blog.

Bring back the banners!

By: Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News

Who banned the banners?

The recently remodeled Maples Pavilion at Stanford University is a model of elegance, with padded stadium seats, three dozen speakers, a neoprene floor and a $1 million scoreboard.

But old-timers complain that something's missing: the traditional felt banners. (More ...)

More stories of the championship game

Pac-10 Champs

By: Scott Bland, The Stanford Daily

After last night, the Pacific-10 Conference might consider renaming the tournament final “The Candice Wiggins Show.” (More ...)

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Women's hoops drops Pac-10 title

By: Chris Ramirez, ASU Web Devil

ASU took Sparky, the pep band and cheerleaders to San Jose, Calif., for the Pac-10 Tournament, but its women's basketball team won't be leaving with a championship. (More ...)

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ASU rallies late but can't overcome sluggish early play

By: Jose E. Garcia, The Arizona Republic

It's become a familiar sight - Stanford winning everything in the Pac-10 Conference. (More ...)

Audio Slide Show: The Championship Game

Here is an audio slide show of the Stanford / Arizona State game from The Mercury News.

Reagan Pariseau's steal from Mel (13th frame) really was all ball!

Candice's steal from Briann January (28th frame) was as amazing as you remember!!

Pac-10 Tournament Champion!

Wiggins rescues Cardinal

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

The weekend began as a question mark for Candice Wiggins. It turned out to be an exclamation point. (More ...)

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Another collapse? No. 11 wasn't about to let that happen

By: Ann Killion, The Mercury News

The Pac-10 tournament has been Candice Wiggins' personal highlight show (More ...)

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Wiggins carries Stanford to title

By: Dylan Hernandez, The Mercury News

Candice Wiggins was again No. 6 Stanford's leading scorer in the Pacific-10 tournament final, but her most important moments in the Cardinal's 62-55 victory over No. 8 Arizona State on Monday night were on the defensive end. (More ...)

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No. 6 Stanford Wins Pac-10 Title Game

By: Janie McCauley, AP Sports

Candice Wiggins is feeling it. Her offensive stroke, that is — not her tender hamstring. The Stanford star is healthy and headed back to the NCAA tournament. (More ...)

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Postgame Quotes and Box Score

Here are postgame quotes and the box score from GoStanford.com

It was raining threes in San Jose

"Too much Candice."

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

That's what Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said Sunday night, knowing for her team there's really no such thing. (More ...)

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Wiggins injured? Tell her opponents

By: Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle

For Tara VanDerveer, the thought of basketball without Candice Wiggins, even for five minutes, is just too gruesome to bear. (More ...)

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Wiggins breaks loose in runaway for Stanford

By: Dylan Hernandez, The Mercury News

Candice Wiggins had a premonition that she would shoot well Sunday.

She had no idea how well (More ...)

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Three times the glory for Wiggins

By: Haley Murphy and Christian Torres, The Stanford Daily

If there was any doubt in your mind about Candice Wiggins’ hamstring recovery, dispel it now. (More ...)

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Wiggins-led Stanford routs USC

By: Jerry Crowe, L. A. Times

The deep and talented Stanford women's basketball team won twice against USC this season without its best player. (More ...)

New swats record in San Jose

By: Mike Eubanks, The Bootleg

All attention is on teammate Candice Wiggins today, with her record-smashing performance behind the three-point line. But Stanford has run away from USC in this Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament semifinal due in large part to a smothering defensive effort. The Women of Troy have had a terrible time scoring at the basket against the Cardinal's post players, led by senior Kristen Newlin. The 6'5" senior forward/center has blocked five shots today (and altered numerous more) - three in the first half and two in the second stanza.

The five blocks tie the Pac-10 Tournament single-game record, matching the mark held by Washington State's Bianca McCall in 2004. Newlin separately owns sole possession of the tournament record of eight total blocked shots, set in last year's games.

Newlin also has 10 points and 10 rebounds today for her sixth double-double of the season. She just left the game at the 4:17 mark of the second half after taking a shot to the face and being knocked to the floor under the basket. Newlin has a bag of ice on her bruised face on the Stanford bench.

"I just wanted to provide a defensive spark for the team," Newlin says. "You get some [blocks] some games, and some games you don't. I don't know if that was my best or not, but I just did what they gave me."

Audio Slide Show: Pac-10 Semifinal

Here is an audio slide show of the Stanford / USC game from The Mercury News.

Audio Slide Show: Stanford vs Arizona

Here is an audio slide show of the Stanford / Arizona game from The Mercury News.

Candice all the way back in opener

Star helps Cardinal coast in tourney

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

If by limited playing time, Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer meant just enough time for Candice Wiggins to nail down the win, than the coach stayed true to her plan Saturday night. (More ...)

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Wiggins returns in Stanford victory

By: Dylan Hernandez, The Mercury News

Other than the white tape wrapping her left thigh, there were no signs of Candice Wiggins being cautious with the hamstring injury that sidelined her for the last two games of the regular season. (More ...)

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Wiggins shares starring role with Appel

By: Rick Eymer, Palo Alto Daily

San Jose’s HP Pavilion seems a long way from the small gym Jayne Appel called home at Carondelet High last year. Walking onto the floor at the cavernous arena for the first time on Saturday got her nerves going more than usual. Once the game began though, it was business as usual. (More ...)

Candice FAQs

Top seed Stanford has issues with its top player

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

The Candice questions are three weeks old. Is she healthy? Can she play? Should she try? (More ...)

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Wiggins' health main question at tourney

By: John Reid, Palo Alto Daily News

Stanford women's basketball head coach Tara VanDerveer is emphatic that her No. 1 seed Cardinal is the favorite entering this weekend's 2007 State Farm Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. (More ...)

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Rest is a Stanford option Cal can't afford

By: Dylan Hernandez, Mercury News

No. 7 Stanford and No. 25 Cal are both locks to be invited to the NCAA women's basketball tournament, but the two Bay Area schools are approaching their opening games of the Pacific-10 tournament today with completely different mindsets. (More ...)

Cardinal aims to claim Pac-10 title

Card ready to roll

By: Haley Murphy, The Stanford Daily

Looking back, the women’s basketball team’s march to yet another top Pacific-10 Conference record and first seed in the conference’s postseason tournament was nothing short of impressive. The No. 7 Cardinal (25-4, 17-1 Pac-10) dominated its conference opponents, survived games without key players and rebounded from early losses with apparent ease. (More ...)

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Wiggins' health main question at tourney

By: John Reid, Palo Alto Daily News

"We expect to go down there and do well in the tournament," said VanDerveer after last Sunday's game. "We're 17-1 playing without Candice Wiggins for five of those games. We've been consistent over an 18-game schedule. This is going to be three games in three days, so depth is going to be a factor. We'll have to have other people step up." (More ...)

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Sun Devils could pull out tourney

By: Gordon Kass, Palo Alto Daily News

The Pac-10 women begin their postseason tournament tonight at San Jose's HP Pavilion. But you might as well call it the Devil's Den. It will be a comfy home for Charli Turner Thorne's Arizona State Sun Devils. (More ...)

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Dick Rockne Predicts Arizona State to Win

By: Dick Rockne, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

It can be about relieving frustrations, achieving goals and maybe just countering a disappointing season by playing a spoiler role. (More ...)

Candice & Brooke on Naismith midseason "Top 30" list

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and the Atlanta Tipoff Club today announced that thirty of the country's top collegiate women's basketball players were named as midseason candidates for the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T. The Naismith Trophy is the most prestigious national award presented annually to the men's and women's college basketball players of the year. (More ...)

Pac-10 All-Conference Women's Basketball Awards

In a vote of the league's 10 head coaches, CALIFORNIA sophomore forward/center Devanei Hampton has been named the 2006-07 Pacific-10 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year and STANFORD's Jayne Appel has been named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year. Joanne Boyle of CALIFORNIA has been named Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today. (More ...)

The Pac-10 next season

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

By: Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

You'd sooner get Pat Summitt in a cheerleading outfit than get a college basketball coach preparing for the postseason to talk about next season.

But if injuries have taken some of the shine off this season in the Pac-10, hopes are very high for 2007-08, with most of the top teams either remaining strong or getting significant infusions of talent. (More ...)