Big impression, abuse, new uniforms and going pro

Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) writes that Stanford finally made a big impression:

Stanford's 60-58 win over No. 3 Rutgers in New Jersey on Sunday was a big one for the Cardinal for several reasons.

It was big because it was the highest-ranked team the Cardinal has beaten on the road since defeating No. 2 Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind. on Nov. 19, 1994.



It was big because it happened on the East Coast, where the folks who believe their brand of basketball is best don't often get to see the Cardinal.

It was big because it happened on ESPN. For the most part, the only time Stanford gets seen on ESPN is during the tournament and last year's second-round loss made a lasting, stinging impression, one that the Rutgers win might have done a little to change.

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Alex Delanian (New Jersey Star Ledger) writes about Stanford's overpowering defense against Rutgers:

Kia Vaughn went through the entire arsenal of moves.

She pinned the defender, looking for a lob, but Kayla Pedersen's outstretched arms were there to take away the angle. She tried to bull through the middle, but Jayne Appel matched her strength and forced an off-balance shot.

The lesson of the night? It's not easy being the center of attention.

The No. 3 Scarlet Knights didn't receive enough of a contribution from their star center in a 60-58 loss to No. 7 Stanford, with Vaughn held scoreless in the first half and finishing with just four points on 1-of-3 shooting, an afterthought in an offense that saw Essence Carson, Epiphanny Prince and Matee Ajavon combine for 41 of the team's 58 field goal attempts.

"She should've touched the ball a lot more," coach C. Vivian Stringer said.

And while she was effective in help defense, altering the shots of the driving Cardinal guards, she had trouble containing Appel, Stanford's star center. The 6-foot-4 sophomore finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, muscling her way to a number of easy inside opportunities against one of the nation's top centers.

Pedersen, another 6-foot-4 player with more of a finesse style, was the unexpected lift for the Stanford offense. The freshman scored 15 points, pulled down 16 rebounds and was a nuisance for a Rutgers team that didn't have the size to compete with a second large post presence.

Pedersen grabbed the key offensive board that allowed Appel to score the game-tying basket with just over 35 seconds to play.

"I thought they really just overpowered us to the inside," Stringer said. "I think both (Appel and Pedersen) just completely abused us ... the four-five battery ate us up, it's as simple as that."

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Darren Sabeda (San Jose Mercury News) writes about Cardinal teams looking good:

So much for the women's team needing time to adapt to life without post players Brooke Smith and Kristen Newlin.

Donning new black road uniforms, Stanford made a statement last weekend, throttling Yale 100-44 in the season opener before taking care of Rutgers.

"New uniforms, new team, new attitude," said Wiggins, a three-time All-American. "I think the new black uniforms actually symbolize how our team is. We just have a different attitude - younger, fresher. It's an energetic bunch."

The young bunch includes much-hyped freshman Kayla Pedersen. The 6-foot-4 forward followed a 15-point, nine-rebound effort in the opener with a 15-point, 16-rebound performance against Rutgers.

Jayne Appel, last season's much-hyped freshman, has not slowed down. Also a 6-4 forward, she averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds in the two games.

Wiggins, one of two seniors on the team, led the way against Rutgers with 19 points.

Stanford will get an even bigger challenge tonight. Team USA, featuring such stars as Lisa Leslie and Diana Taurasi, is 7-0 on its college tour, winning by an average of 25.6 points. Its closest victory came at Tennessee, 83-72.

"It'll be fun to have the gym with those players," said Stanford Coach Tara VanDerveer, who led the national team to an Olympic gold medal in 1996. "Our best might not be good enough to beat the USA team. . . . But it's a great opportunity."

Wyndam Makowsky (The Stanford Daily) writes about the Cardinal's game against the pros tonight:

For one night only, Stanford is going pro.

For one of the few times this year, Stanford will be the underdog, facing perhaps the best professional women’s squad in the world.

In order to keep pace with USA Basketball, the Cardinal will have to control the boards and score at an above-average rate, in addition to playing tough defense. Pedersen and Appel will be tasked with covering Leslie, a daunting prospect for the freshman, who has yet to make defense one of her strong suits. The sophomore forward will be severely tested by Leslie’s athleticism and skill.

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