USC Tonight

Wiggins’ legend by the numbers, by Scott Bland (The Stanford Daily)

Candice is due to break the Stanford career scoring record (12 to go) and the career free throw record (7 to go) in tonight's game against USC. Scott Bland reviews her superlative-laden career so far.

Payback time, by Haley Murphy (The Stanford Daily)

Kayla Pedersen's observation on tonight's game, “I believe that our team is very motivated for this next game especially because we feel like we have more to prove after those losses. This game is our second chance and we don’t want to disappoint especially when we are at home.”

Women face a tough Cardinal team, by Allison Hong (Daily Trojan)

Coach Mark Trakh's observation on tonight's game, "I don't think they need any motivation. It doesn't matter who they play, they're going to give 100 percent every time ... They're just going to be very, very tough."

Pac-10 might be overrated, by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)

Michelle Smith evaluates the top six conferences.

L.A. comes to the Bay Area

JJ Hones has come into her own as a point guard

Huge redemption week ahead for Stanford women, by Jon Wilner (Mercury News)

The Bruins and Trojans, who visit Maples Pavilion this weekend, will face a much different team - more balanced, more efficient, more ruthless - than they did three weeks ago.

Lessons of losses loom large for Cal, Stanford, by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)

"I think they go out and play hard no matter what, and I don't think they need motivation," [USC coach Mark] Trakh said. "They are one game behind Cal, they want to win the conference again, and I don't think they care who they are playing."

Women’s team braces for the Bay, by Kendall Salter (Daily Bruin)

If the Bruins (11-9, 6-3) are to pull off a win in what is perhaps the toughest road swing in the Pac-10, their bench players will be a factor.

Pac-10 Player of the Week

Candice is Pac-10 Player of the Week for the third time this season and the eighth in her career.

She is now in a six-way tie for the most career weekly honors in conference history with Tanja Kostic, OSU (1993-1996), Lisa Leslie, USC (1991-94), Cherie Nelson, USC (1987-89), Noelle Quinn, UCLA (2004-2007) and Natalie Williams, UCLA (1991-94).

Here's the official announcement

Walk-ons have what it takes to compete

An article by Kelli Anderson in the Stanford Magazine about unrecruited athletes asserts, "Some toil in obscurity for a shred of playing time, while a few rise to stardom. All of them play with something to prove—that they have what it takes to compete."

None prove this better than two of the Cardinal Women's Basketball walk-ons:

Take Markisha Coleman, who grew up in East Palo Alto and started coming to Stanford women’s basketball games and camps as a girl. “When I was younger I really wanted to play basketball for Stanford,” she says. “When I was in high school, I wanted to go here because of academics, too.” Coleman, ’07, chose Stanford over Brown and Dartmouth and walked onto the basketball team as a freshman. Two years later, after distinguishing herself as a tenacious practice player, she earned a scholarship. She never played much, but she found satisfaction in her role. “Even if the coach doesn’t call you into a game, it’s still your victory,” she says. “You work hard in practice, you make your teammates better.”

Indeed, a few true walk-ons turn out to have plenty of talent. Kate Paye turned down scholarship offers at Cal and Arizona to walk onto the women’s basketball team as a freshman. Paye, ’95, JD/MBA ’02, earned a scholarship the next year, was the starting point guard her final two years and played professionally for six seasons. “Kate bought into a different level of intensity at the college level; she really outworked people,” says VanDerveer. “She was patient and listened and was very coachable and smart. And whereas other people were ahead of her in high school, by the time she graduated, she was ready for the pros.”

Despite all her success in the game, Paye still thinks of herself as a walk-on. “It’s something I take pride in,” she says. “I created my own opportunity, and I fought for it and worked for it. I took a chance on something I believed in—myself. Besides, I like to tease all my Stanford teammates that I got in without being an athlete. I got in on my own.”

More Big Game reports

Not tired of reading about the Big Game yet? Here are a few more reports:

• Stanford holds its ground by Ann Killion (Mercury News)
  
  The event had everything: Hype, national rankings, a big crowd, everything it needed to overshadow the men's matchup across the bay. Everything, that is, except much of a game.
  
  
• Paint it Cardinal by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
  
  Maybe Cal is ready for its turn in the Pac-10 women's spotlight, but Stanford isn't relinquishing its spot just yet.
  
  
• Stanford shows, Cal barely there by Eric Gilmore (Contra Costa Times)
  
  In their biggest game of a historically good season, the Bears were no-shows. OK, not literally. Their bus showed up at Maples. But the Bears left their "A," "B" and "C" games behind in Berkeley. Instead of the so-called Battle of the Bay, we had the Blowout by the Bay.
  
  
• Cal women can't handle big-time stage by Carl Steward (Inside Bay Area)
  
  Changing of the guard in Pac-10 women's basketball? Sorry, ladies, not yet, not until Cal figures out how to guard Candice Wiggins a whole lot more efficiently. Better neutralizing Jayne Appel and solving Stanford's stifling interior defense would improve the Golden Bears' chances as well, and hey, a change of venue certainly probably wouldn't hurt.
  
  

Defense: A+

That's what Tara wrote on the white board in the locker room at half time.

The Cardinal's Big Bear defense held Devanei Hampton to 3 points, Ashley Walker to 10, and Cal to a season-low 30.8 field goal percentage.
A+ indeed!

• Bears Shut Down on the Farm by Viet Nyugen (The Bear Insider)
  
  In a much-hyped game between two top-10 teams, California fell to Stanford 72-52. While Cal’s defense has been ranked atop the Pac-10, it was Stanford’s defense that had a stranglehold on this game from the opening tip.
  
  
• Hones helps shoot down Cal's perfect record by Rick Eymer (Palo Alto Online)
  
  JJ Hones found her long range shot and the Stanford women's basketball team found new life with its 72-52 victory over visiting California on Saturday in a crucial Pac-10 contest in front of 6,175 fans at Maples Pavilion.
  
  
• Appel's fancy passing - a revelation - helps Stanford women stuff Cal by Gwen Knapp (San Francisco Chronicle
  
  She scored only nine points, yet made the offense flow. She recorded seven assists, a hefty number, but not enough to describe her textbook passing out of post. If a coach ever wants to teach a young center how to handle a double-team, a videotape from this game will do the job.
  
  
• An audio slide show by NHat V. Meyer (Mercury News)
  
  
• The AP game recap, photo gallery and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

Battle of the three-headed monsters?

You wouldn't think so when they're sitting on the bench giggling, but that's how Scott Bland (The Stanford Daily) describes Candice, Jayne and Kayla -- Stanford's three-headed monster that drives the offense, scoring 60% of the Cardinal's points this season.

And Cal also has a three-headed monster -- Devanei Hampton, Alexis Gray-Lawson and Ashley Walker, the So Berkeley trio that are the foundation of the turnaround of the Cal women's program.

Pac-10 bragging rights and a pair of top 10 national rankings will both be at stake Saturday.

Joanne Boyle said, "The Pac-10 championship goes through Stanford. It's been going through there for a long time. We want what they have and we're going to have go over there and take it from them ...they're not going to give it to us.'

Tara said, “It’s like a tournament atmosphere. There is a certain excitement when something is on the line. In some ways it’s more fun chasing. It’s going to be a challenging game.”

Here's the Stanford Daily article, another from Sports Illustrated and a third from the San Francisco Chronicle

The Big Game from Cal's point of view

Here are some stories about Saturday's Big Game from Cal's point of view:

Reaching new heights at Cal by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)

"We're not happy to just win one game," [Devanei] Hampton said. "We have a lot more we want to accomplish. We have a mission statement on our locker room door and we've all signed it. It's like our blood oath."

Cal aims to knock Cardinal from grace by Andrew Kim (The Daily Californian)

"We want what they have, and we're going to have to go in there and take it from them," [coach Joanne] Boyle said. "They play well when they're up against the wall, and they're going to come out firing. We have to go take it."

With Boyle leading the way, Bears rise up in Bay Area by Graham Hays (ESPN)

Before Joanne Boyle arrived at Cal, the Bears hadn't had a winning record or reached the postseason in 13 years. Now, Cal is ranked eighth, has won nine games in a row and is sitting atop the Pac-10.

It's must-win time

Women seek revenge against Cal by Wyndam Makowsky (The Stanford Daily)
One of the most lopsided rivalries in women’s basketball has suddenly become competitive, and the stakes are as high as ever.

Stanford's Pac-10 title defense in jeopardy by Darren Sabedra (Mercury News)
But eight games into this season's race - one Stanford was expected to claim yet again - the No. 7 Cardinal has come across an unfamiliar pothole: It's must-win time.

Ex-Cardinal Smith now helping the blue and gold by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
"I'm fired up," [Charmin] Smith said. "It's going to be a little weird being in Maples on the other bench and in the visitors' locker room."

Thoughts on the Big Game

Bay Area journalists are writing about the Stanford/Cal women's basketball rivalry:

• Defining meeting between, yes, equals by Ray Ratto (San Francisco Chronicle)
  
  Saturday's game between the two sides at Maples Pavilion offers a chance for both the Fightin' Boyles and the Snarlin' VanDerveers to consolidate their newfound equality on the floor with a packed house of fully invested fans. A great game is therefore mandatory. Some nasty postgame controversy would be even better.
  
  
• A big game week like no other by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
  
  This article is all about Candice, who said, "This is obviously a big game for us, but every game is a big game for us. We have to play our game and set the tone right away. It's going be a battle, we know that. But our best games have been against our biggest challengers."
  
  
• Let's tip off a doubleheader by Jon Wilner, Mercury News
  
  The Cal and Stanford men's and women's basketball teams collide Saturday in two big games featuring three ranked teams with four combined records of 59-14.
  
  But the games are on different sides of the bay at conflicting times: the women at Stanford at 2 p.m. and the men at Cal at 4 p.m.
  
  Short of helicopter transport, there's no way to catch both games. And that got us thinking here at the Mercury News sport department:
  
  Why not have all four teams play at the same site on the same day - not on campus, at neutral sites.
  
  This is certainly an interesting idea. Voice your opinion in the poll included in the article: Would you attend a Cal-Stanford basketball doubleheader?

ACL Reconstuction

As women's basketball fans, we hear far more about ACL injuries than we'd like. Have you ever wondered about the reconstruction procedure? CSTV analyst Lara Boyko did and hit the investigative reporter jackpot by being allowed inside an operating room at UCLA to watch a live ACL reconstruction surgery. Here is her report of that experience.

 This is The Mayo Clinic's description of the ACL reconstruction procedure:

ACL surgery is usually done with arthroscopic techniques. An orthopedic surgeon specializing in bone, muscle and joint surgery performs the procedure. During the procedure, the surgeon disinfects the area around the knee and applies sterile drapes to further prevent infection. He or she may use a pressure band (tourniquet) to decrease blood loss and to see the knee better. The surgeon makes a small incision on the knee and inserts the arthroscope — a thin instrument equipped with a small camera. The knee is filled with saline solution to provide a better view. A light and a small video camera with a magnifying lens are attached to the arthroscope and connected to a monitor so that the surgeon can see the magnified image of the knee.

If you're having an autograft, the graft will be taken from your chosen tendon. A hole is drilled at an angle through the tibia and into the femur, following the path of the injured ACL. The graft is then threaded through the holes, and the small pieces of bone at each end of the tendon are attached to the femur and the tibia, usually with screws, which are left in place permanently. The entire procedure takes about two hours.

Here is a webcast of an arthroscopic ACL reconstuction. Lara got to be in the operating room, but this takes you right inside the knee.

More reports of the Stanford/ASU game

Not tired of reading about the Stanford/ASU game yet? Here are several more reports:

• Cardinal crawl ahead to top ASU, by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
  "It's no fun being down, but that fight, the way we keep coming back and taking the momentum, is great," Wiggins said. "This was a huge test for our team and I never felt like we couldn't do it."
• Pedersen, Stanford top ASU women, by Al Bravo (East Valley Tribune)
  “No jitters, just couldn’t hit my shot,” Kayla said. “But I got it going in the second half.”
• Stanford women overcome 11-point halftime deficit at ASU, by Mark Brown (Mercury News)
  "I liked the second half much better," Tara said with a slight smile.
• Stanford gets back on track with wins in Arizona, by Graham Hays (ESPN)
  It seems that what happens in Los Angeles stays in Los Angeles.
• Win over ASU exposes strengths, weaknesses, by Scott Bland (The Stanford Daily)
  In respect to JJ: Thirty-three minutes against ASU suggests she is back to full fitness after knee surgery last year. Hones’ contribution will be hugely important for the rest of the year.

And a couple more pictures:

Cardinal stumps Sun Devils

Here are several reports of the Cardinal's fourth straight win over the Sun Devils:

• Stanford stumps ASU women, by Jason P. Skoda (The Arizona Republic)
• Cardinal survives a hoop scare, by Rick Eymer (Palo Alto Online)
• The AP game recap and the box score from Stanford Athletics.
• And some AP game photos

Jayne and Lauren Lacey battle for rebounding position.


Jill Noe loses the ball while defended by Kayla.


Jayne drives to the hoop against Sybil Dosty.


Candice is hounded by Briann January.


Jayne swats a shot by Briann January.


Candice heads to the hoop as Briann January tries to catch her.

Cardinal big test for Devils

By Jason P. Skoda, The Arizona Republic

When Stanford lost back-to-back road games at UCLA and Southern California two weeks ago, it initially might have allowed the rest of the Pac-10 to think the Cardinal might be a little more beatable than in years past.

Then again, maybe it was exactly what Stanford, winners of at least a share of the Pac-10 title since 2000, needed.

"The losses in LA have given us a new focus," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "Our team is listening better and has our attention. I think they did an excellent job in creating energy and progress in one week. Obviously, we are going to be tested, but I feel like we are going in the right direction."

That's not exactly great news for Arizona State (11-7, 5-1) heading into Sunday's 2 p.m. game against the No. 7 Cardinal (15-3, 5-2).

(More ...)

Pedersen making a splash at Stanford

By Al Bravo, East Valley Tribune

“She’s a gamer, she doesn’t show any frustration, she keeps playing hard, a real pleasure to work with,” longtime Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said on Saturday. “We’re really thankful she’s at Stanford.”

“To me it’s a challenge,” Kayla said. “That was my hope coming in here, just making an immediate impact. I didn’t expect anything less.”

(More ...)

From freshman to starter, Pedersen came ready to produce

By Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle

"She's mature and she's fearless," said Stanford associate head coach Amy Tucker. "She's not afraid of anything, but she's not cocky. You can never tell by looking at her whether things are going her way or not."

Tucker first saw Pedersen play when she was a high school freshman at an AAU Tournament in Arizona. She was sitting in the stands when a man approached her.

"He said, 'My granddaughter wants to play for you,' " Tucker said. "I've heard that lot. I said, 'Who's your granddaughter?' and he said, 'Kayla Pedersen'. I thought, 'Oh, great.' "

(More ...)

Ex-Red Mountain star back in Valley

By: Jason P. Skoda, The Arizona Republic

Kayla Pedersen was the hot topic of conversation Tuesday during the Pac-10 women's basketball coaches' conference call.

Part of it was because the former Mesa Red Mountain star returned to her home state this week for games Thursday night at Arizona (an 89-64 Stanford victory) and at 2 p.m. Sunday against Arizona State at Wells Fargo Arena.

The other part is that Pedersen has made an immediate impact, which comes as no surprise to Pac-10 coaches.

(More ...)

Pedersen leads Cardinal past Cats

From: Arizona Republic news sources

Stanford's Kayla Pedersen tied her season high with 22 points, and Candice Wiggins had 12 of her 19 points in the second half to lead No. 7 Stanford to an 89-64 women's basketball victory over Arizona on Thursday night.

Stanford (15-3, 5-2 Pac-10) won its 10th in a row against Arizona as the Wildcats suffered their 22nd consecutive loss to a ranked team.

(More ...)

Here are the AP game recap and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

Crunch Time

Mary Murphy (FSN) says that the next two weekends will be crunch time for the top three teams in the Pac-10.

Here is Arizona State's viewpoint of their upcoming games against Cal and Stanford, as reported in the ASU Web Devil.

and Cal's viewpoint of the ASU game, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Stanford does not see past the next game, at least not in print, so we don't have their viewpoint of Sunday's game against ASU.

Remember last year's Stanford/ASU game in Tempe? Here's Candice leading the Cardinal to victory with one of her six free throws in overtime.

Rewriting the record book

To Candice it's the team that matters, not her individual achievements. Nonetheless she is rewriting the Stanford Women's Basketball record book. She already owns these records:

Career 3-pointers attempted

Candice broke Sebnem Kimyacioglu's (2001-2005) record of 549 on Dec 18 at New Mexico. She currently has 597.

Career 3-pointers made

Candice broke Vanessa Nygaard's (1993-1998) record of 210 on Nov 22 in the Paradise Jam against Connecticut. She currently has 236.

Points per game

Candice started the 2007-08 season with a record 18.8. That has now dropped a bit to 18.6, but she is likely to remain the leader here; Jeanne Ruark Hoff (1978-1983) is second with 17.6.

Free throws made in a single game

Candice shares the record with Rachel Hemmer (1991-1995). She shot 16 free throws on Jan 21, 2006 against Arizona State.

The Cardinal will play at least 15 more games this season. They may play 22. If Candice continues the season at her current pace, other records are within her reach -- some more likely than others:

Career points

Candice is currently 76 points shy of Kate Starbird's (1993-1997) record of 2215. She is on target to break that record on Jan 31 against USC.

Pac-10 career points

Candice is currently 275 points shy of Lisa Leslie's (1991-1994) record of 2414. She is on target to break that record in the Pac-10 Tournament championship game.

Career free throws made

Candice is currently 24 free throws shy of Val Whiting's (1989-1993) record of 481. She is on target to break that record on Feb 5 at Santa Clara.

Career field goals attempted

Candice is currently 76 goals shy of Kate Starbird's record of 1634. She is on target to break that record on Feb 5 at Santa Clara.

Career field goals made

Candice is currently 105 goals shy of Jeanne Ruark Hoff's record of 828. She is on target to break that record at the NCAA Elite-8.

Games played

Sebnem Kimyacioglu and Kelley Suminski share the record of 136. Candice is on target to break that record at the NCAA Championship game.

If Candice increases her pace, these records could also be hers:

Free throws attempted.

If Candice continues at her current pace for 22 more games, she would be 4 free throws shy of Val Whiting's record of 666.

Minutes played

If Candice continues at her current pace for 22 more games, she would be 28 minutes shy of Virginia Sourlis' (1982-1986) record of 4148.

Career steals

If Candice continues at her current pace for 22 more games, she would be 1 steal shy of Sonja Henning's (1987-1991) record of 280.

GO CARD! GO CANDICE!!

Duck, Duck, Goose

By Sue Bair, The Bootleg

The Cardinal continued their resurgence with an easy victory over the Oregon Ducks at Maples Pavilion on Saturday. Team captains Jillian Harmon and Candice Wiggins provided early scoring punch, and an aggressive, trapping defense did in the Ducks.

(More ...)

Ducks run out of gas

Tara said, "Jill really got us going."

Jill said, "I see offensive rebounding as a great way to get easy baskets."

She demonstrated that by scoring eight points on five O-boards against the Ducks, ending with a total of 15 points and nine rebounds. She and Jeanette did an outstanding job of guarding the Duck's top scorer, Taylor Lilley, who averages 13.1 points per game. They held her to zero field goal attempts!

Jeanette also scored 15 points, including three of four three-pointers.

Read more:

• Cardinal race by Ducks, by Rob Moseley (Eugene Register-Guard
  (Access may require registration. You can use id/password cardinalfan/gocard.)
• L.A. weekend in rear-view mirror, by Gwenn Knapp (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Sweep of Oregon schools gets Stanford back on track , by Rick Eymer (Palo Alto Online)
• The AP game recap, photo gallery and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

Beavers Dammed

By Sue Bair, The Bootleg

The #7-ranked Cardinal bounced back big against the visiting Oregon State Beavers in Maples Pavilion Thursday evening. Early domination inside by Jayne Appel and fine play from the entire bench led the way.

(More ...)

Candice is WBCA National Player of the Month

Women's Basketball Coaches Association
National Player of the Month
for December

Get it to Jayne

Tara said, "That was the name of the game -- get it to Jayne."

They did and Jayne took it and put it in -- 12 of 13 times for a game-high 25 points. Five minutes into the second half, the score was Jayne 25, OSU 23.

The Cardinal were not a tricycle, nor a unicyle, against OSU. Cissy, Hannah, JJ and Morgan shot a total of six 3-pointers. Ashley, in her first college game, contributed four points, an O-board, an assist and two blocks.

Read more:

• Cardinal women rebound, by Haley Murphy (The Stanford Daily)
• Stanford women bounce back with rout, by Darren Sabedra (Mercury News)
• Humbled Cardinal take it out on Beavers, by Tom FitzGerald (San Francisco Chronicle
• the AP game recap and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

Double-Downer

From The Bootleg

Once again overcoming his personal disappointment in a dismal result, Contributing Correspondent Warren Grimes reports in on the Stanford Women's Basketball team's head-shaking loss last Sunday at the hands of the hot-shooting Trojans of USC. A demoralizing 3-20 effort from behind the arc doomed the Cardinal, which otherwise played rather well and should bounce back against the Oregon schools. (More ...)

"We cannot be a tricycle"

Bay Area sportswriters discuss the Cardinal's struggles in L.A. last weekend and the need to rebound this weekend at Maples:

• Stanford women need to turn it around against Oregon schools by Rick Eymer, Palo Alto Online
• Stanford suddenly taking a back seat in Pac-10 by Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle
• Stanford women look to right their Pac-10 ship by Darren Sabedra, Mercury News

Jeanette's Brea Olinda jersey retired

By Carlos Arias, Orange County Register

They called it “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Ladycat Legends,” and it was an emotional walk.

The Brea Olinda girls basketball program honored its past by retiring Jeanette Pohlen's No. 32 jersey on Saturday night at Brea Olinda High.

Eight of the nine players to have their jerseys retired at Brea Olinda were in attendance during the emotional ceremony.

There also was a game to be played after the festivities and the Ladycats thumped CIF Central Section-powerhouse Hanford, 77-60, in a nonleague game.

But this night belonged to Pohlen and the rest of great Brea Olinda players who helped the Ladycats win one national championship, eight state championships and 15 CIF-SS titles.

“It's kind of a shock,” said Pohlen, a three-time Register Player of the Year from 2004-07. “I'm still kind of dealing with it. It's such an honor. I can't say it enough. Being here with all these great players from the past … it's just great to be here tonight.”

Pohlen was close to tears when her former coach, Jeff Sink, spoke about what she meant to the program.

“She demanded so much out of herself, the other kids were embarrassed if they didn't step up too,” Sink said. “She's the greatest player I ever coached and the greatest kid, which is an amazing combination. I mean, how many time do you see that? Not very often.”

Da Houl (1980-83), Carrie Egan (1983-87), Tammy Blackburn (1986-90), Aimee McDaniel (1986-90), Jody Anton-Wynn (1989-92), Lindsey Davidson (1995-99) and Chelsea Trotter (1996-00) were there to watch Pohlen's jersey go up on the Wall of Fame. Nicole Erickson (1990-94) was the only one unable to make it to the ceremony.

Former Ladycats coach Mark Trakh [1981-93], who is currently the coach at USC, also paid tribute to the legendary players he coached.

Double trouble in L.A.

Stanford was looking for a big bounce back, but instead, finished with a sickening thud in their 72-73 loss to USC.

Here are:

• Game report by Michelle Smith, San Francisco Chronicle
• Game report by Rick Eymer, Palo Alto Online
• The AP game recap and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

Stanford rethinks approach after loss

Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle) reports:

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer has change on her mind and possibly in her lineup as she processes Friday night's 69-56 loss to UCLA and prepares for today's 2 p.m. game against USC.

"We didn't do what we needed to do to be successful, and we're going to need some different people playing and contributing," VanDerveer said.

VanDerveer said she will explore lineup changes to find more support for Candice Wiggins and Jayne Appel, who scored all but 10 of Stanford's points against UCLA.

UCLA finally slays giant

There are many theories about what went wrong for the Cardinal in their game against UCLA last night. Here are comments from several players:

"It's hard to explain a game like this," said Candice Wiggins. "We knew what to expect and that they were a great team who had played great teams close and they are very good at home. Unfortunately bad shooting and getting in the hole early, we were unable to fight out of this one."

"I think our team was sick of playing with teams at the top and not being able to finish," said Lindsey Pluimer, UCLA's only senior. "We learned from those games and you could tell at the end that we were slowing the ball down, using the clock and being patient which came from the Maryland and Tennessee games."

"I thought it was about what we didn't really do, more than what they did," a disappointed Stanford center Jayne Appel said after the game.

"We talked before the game how hard we needed to play," said Darxia Morris, one of six freshmen on UCLA's roster "It doesn't matter how they play. This was really fun. This is big for us."

If you have the heart to read all about it, here are some game reports:

• UCLA finally slays giant by Michelle Smith (San Francisco Chronicle)
• No. 2 Stanford women's basketball team falls to UCLA by Lauren Peterson (Mercury News)
• UCLA women pull upset by Dan Arritt (Los Angeles Times)
• A legendary night by Lara Boyko (CSTV)
• and the AP game recap, photo gallery and the box score from Stanford Athletics.

USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year!

All-American Candice Wiggins (San Diego, Calif.), who was part of four separate USA Basketball teams in 2007 and helped those teams to three gold medals and a flawless 23-0 record, has been named USA Basketball’s 2007 Female Athlete of the Year, USA Basketball announced today.
(More ... )



And from a story in the Los Angeles Times:

• "The thing that impresses me so much is she just finds a way to get it done," said [UCLA coach Kathy] Olivier, whose Bruins will play host to Stanford tonight at 7 at Pauley Pavilion. "A will to win."
• "She's a gamer," said UCLA senior forward Lindsey Pluimer, who began playing against Wiggins while at San Clemente High. "She gets them pumped and ready."

See/Hear the UCLA/USC games

The Cardinal can expect a couple of tough games on their trip to L.A. this weekend.

The Bruins have stumbled to 4th place in the Pac-10 with a 6-7 record. Inconsistent play could be a problem for a UCLA team that will rely on several freshmen, including Nina Earl who scored 31 points and 13 rebounds against the Arizona schools last week. This year's freshman class has been ranked as high as third nationally, so there is plenty of talent, but not a lot of experience. The Bruins only senior, Lindsey Pluimer, will have to provide the leadership if UCLA's record is going to match its talent level. If things come together for the Bruins, they could surprise a few teams at the top of the conference.

After an injury plagued 2006-2007 campaign, Trakh is hoping this year's Trojans can stay healthy enough to improve upon last season's fifth-place finish. Getting Camille LeNoir back from the hip injury that cost her 2006-07 season will provide a big boost to the USC backcourt. Also returning is Brynn Cameron, who should make a name for herself as one of the Pac-10's best three-point shooters. Out again this season is Jackie Gemelos, who came to USC as one of the country's top recruits, but has yet to play thanks to two torn ACLs. USC is currently 5th in the Pac-10 with an 8-5 record. Last week Morgan Medlock had a career game against Arizona with 18 points and 13 rebounds; the team had a school record 13 three's.

You can bet that each team will bring its "A" game this weekend against the #2/#2 Cardinal. Even if you can't head South to see the games, you can watch and/or listen to both of them.

• The Stanford/UCLA game (Friday, Jan 4, 7 p.m.) will be webcast by UCLA All*Access. You need to register, but it's free. Here's the link.
• The Stanford/USC game (Sunday, Jan 6, 2 p.m.) will be webcast by Trojan TV All*Access. It costs $9.95 unless you already have a subscription. Here's the link.
• Both games will be broadcast by KZSU. You can listen on your radio at 90.1 FM or anywhere on your computer.

Shaking things up at the top

Charlie Creme (ESPN) reports that Stanford and Tennessee gave us the game of the season to date, a game that now makes the Cardinal a strong favorite to be on the top line.

Charlie also poses eight questions for 2008, including "Who will win the Jan 26 showdowns?"

Cardinal slog past Washington

The editor of The Bootleg apologizes for the delay in posting this story --New Year's Eve day in his household was rather frantic.

Tardy or not, you'll enjoy Bootleg's Women's Hoops columnist Sue Bair's comments on the #2-ranked Cardinal's convincing, but less than stellar victory over the visiting Washington Huskies at Maples.