February 25, 2007

We Are The Champions

Once again Stanford is the Pac 10 Women's Basketball Champion. The 7th straight season of at least tying for the Championship, and this year, thanks to the gritty win over USC, we are the sole first place finisher. Today's victory was a tribute to togetherness, grittiness, and a team that is tougher than nails.

USC played very hard. They pressed thoughout the game, and almost pulled off the upset. But Brooke Smith's 2 pressure FT's sealed the victory and the Championship.

Cutting down the net after winning the league crown is always fun, but to accomplish it without Candice this week was really great for all the members of the Stanford team.

Rather than discuss how the league finished, let's move right in to the next round of fun, the Pac 10 Tournament in San Jose. Here are the Final Standings:

1. Stanford: 17-1
2. ASU: 16-2
3. Cal 12-6
4. Washington: 11-7
5. USC: 10-8
6. Oregon: 8-10
7. UCLA: 7-11
8. OSU: 4-14
9. Arizona: 4-14
10. WSU: 1-17

The Pac 10 Tourney:

Friday:
6 PM: WSU(10) vs. UCLA(7)

8:15PM: OSU(8) vs. Arizona(9)

Saturday:

11AM: Cal(3) vs. Oregon(6)
1:15: ASU(2) vs UCLA or Washingron State

5:00PM: Stanford(1) vs. Oregon State or Arizona
7:15PM: USC(5) vs. Washington(4)

Sunday:
2:00PM: Winner of the 11AM game vs the winner of the 1:15 game
4:30PM: Winner of the 5PM game vs the winner of the 7:15 game

Monday:
7:30PM; Sunday's winners.

The biggest question for Stanford fans is will we have Candice back for the Tourney? Huge question. She looked great climbing that ladder, if that means anything. :)

So do you know the way to San Jose?

February 19, 2007

MY ALL LEAGUE TEAM

You can vote on your own All League Team on the front page of the FBC Site, but here's my team:

Appel, Jayne - Stanford
Hampton, Devanei - Cal
Hicks, Cameo - Washington
January, Briann - ASU
Johnson, Aubree - ASU
Nash, Casey - OSU
Quinn, Noelle - UCLA
Smith, Brooke - Stanford
Walker, Ashley - Cal
Wiggins, Candice - Stanford

Where is USC's Shay Murphy? Too many sub 33% shooting nights. ASU's Westerberg, or Noe, or Orsillo? To be honest when I thought about this for the FBC Web Site, I didn't have Aubree Johnson. But the more I thought about it the more I thought Johnson isn't even the 10th player on this list. She was glue for the Sun Devils. I thought in the pre season that Amanda Thompson would become the Center for ASU, but it was Johnson who rose up to be "the post" for her team. Johnson was a solid rebounder, defender, and scored more than anyone predicted.

We move into the final week of league play. The top six teams start with byes in the Pac 10 Tournament, so both UCLA and Oregon are playing for that Friday bye.

1. Stanford: 15-1, 23-4

Stanford is now # 8 in the nation, and needs one win this week to be the Regular season Champions. ASU has only one game, against in state rival Arizona, so two Stanford wins would keep Charli from ignoring the tie breaker, that is we beat ASU twice. It's also SR Day on Sunday for 4 Cardinal, Bode, Brooke, New and Kish. Please make sure you're at Maples for this emotional, rousing, uplifting and sad at the same time, occasion. From a class of one, New was the only scholarship player 4 years ago, comes four players who have made their mark at Stanford University.

Feb 22: UCLA
Feb 25: USC-SR Day at Noon, be early.


2. ASU: 15-2, 25-3

The # 10 Sun Devils beat both USC and UCLA. Briann January had a career high 22 points to go with 9 assists and 6 steals in the win over UCLA. Aubree Johnson had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the win over USC.

Feb 24: @ Arizona


3. Cal: 10-6, 20-7

A stunning loss to Oregon low lighted the week. During that game the outstanding Devanei Hampton scored 27 of her team's 42 points. Imagine a team, minus one, scoring 15 points in a college basketball game? For the week, Hampton had 44 points and 21 rebounds. Cal came back tough to beat Oregon State in double overtime. The Bears have 20 wins, the first time with 20 or more since 1992.

Feb 22: USC
Feb 24: UCLA


3. USC: 10-6, 16-10

USC split with the Arizona schools, and they probably need four wins to reach the NCAA's. They are about 20 behind Washington in RPI. USC played ASU very close until the end, missing out on a huge opportunity. But ASU would not let that happen. Shay Murphy had 26 points and 20 rebounds, but was only 8 for 29 from the floor, in the two games.

Feb 22: @ Cal
Feb 25: @ Stanford


5. Washington: 9-7, 16-11

Despite having the same # of wins as USC, Washington seems to be closer to the NCAA's than the Trojans. The Huskies really contol their own destiny, playing the Oregon schools at home. Their one game this past week was a 32 point victory over Washington State.

Feb 22: Oregon State
Feb 24: Oregon


6. UCLA: 7-9, 13-15

The Bruins lost to both Arizona schools to take themselves out of NCAA consideration and unless they win 4 more, probably out of post season, read NIT, entirely. A sad way for the great Noelle Quinn to end her career. Quinn, as usual, did it all with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the losses to Arizona and ASU.

Feb 22: @ Stanford
Feb 24: @ Cal


6. Oregon: 7-9, 15-11

The Ducks beat Cal and lost to Stanford, but keept alive their post season, NIT, hopes. Eleanor Haring had a fine week with 36 points.

Feb 22: @ Washington State
Feb 24: @ Washington


8. Arizona: 4-13, 10-19

The Wildcats had a huge win at UCLA. Joy Hollingsworth had 18 points in that game and Malia O'Neal had 11 assists.

Feb 24: ASU


9. Oregon State: 3-13, 8-17

Played very tough against both Cal and Stanford but came up just short in both games. Casey Nash scored 36 points and continues to led the Pac 10 in scoring.

Feb 22: @ Washington
Feb 24: @ Washington State


10: Washington State: 1-15, 5-21

Washington State lost by 32 to Washington.

Feb 22: Oregon
Feb 24: Oregon State

February 12, 2007

WITHOUT CANDICE

Two great wins for Stanford, two great wins for ASU, USC catches Cal for 3rd. Candice sprains her ankle, could be out for, well, the good news is with Candice who knows. She is a tough person.

We head into the final 2 weeks of the season with three NCAA teams,
Stanford, ASU and Cal, and a bubble team , USC.

1. Stanford: 13-1, 21-4.

Last week we lost JJ for the season, and this week Candice for 2-3 or so
weeks, it appears. Melanie Murphy really stepped up replaced JJ, now who
will step up and replace Candice? Both Oregon games become tough now, is
Stanford tuff enough? However when we play OSU, we should pound it inside
forever. See the ASU summary.

Feb 15: @ Oregon State
Feb 17: @ Oregon (11AM on FSBA)


2. Arizona State: 12-2, 23-3

Aubree Johnson could be POW. Against OSU, she scored 27 points on 12 for
15. Fellow Center Kristen Thompson scored 17. Both career highs. They did play 6 minutes together, a total of 46 for the Post duo. Johnson also
scored 17 points against Oregon, on 6 for 10. ASU Had two easy home wins
against the Oregon schools.

Feb 15: @ USC
Feb 18: @ UCLA (1PM, FSBA)


3. Cal: 9-5, 19-6

Cal just choked against a very average Washington team, no excuses. Boyle
wore out the 2 frosh guards, and it cost them. But they came back with a
lot of determination and easily beat WSU. Cal is now tied with USC, who
still has to play ASU. Hampton with 51 points and 23 rebounds in the two
games. Walker with 44 and 19.

Feb 15: @ Oregon
Feb 17: @ Oregon State


4. USC: 9-5, 15-9

Beat UCLA at the Galen Center before 9,749 fans. Not a pretty game with
Shay Murphy high with 13 points, on 2 for 16. Egads. And they won.

Feb 15: ASU
Feb 17: Arizona


5. Washington: 8-7, 15-11

A huge come from behind win at Cal, then a huge loss to Stanford. Hicks had 27 points against Cal, and Plouffe and 17 points and 13 rebounds. Against Stanford the same duo had 17 points. And how tough is Stanford inside, Plouffe had a single rebound against Stanford. In the Cal game, Washington came from 19 down with 13+ to play to win in OT.

Feb 17: @ WSU


6. UCLA: 7-7, 13-13

Going nowhere, this formally great program awaits some loving care from the AD, without which the program seemingly will stay around .500 basketball. In their only game UCLA lost to USC.

Feb 15: Arizona
Feb 18: Arizona State (1PM, FSBA)


7. Oregon: 6-8, 14-10

Only averaged 53.5 points in their two games last weekend, one a loss to ASU and the other a close win over Arizona. Both but games were in Arizona and we all know the Ducks play very well at home. Not much to report on stats, as no player scored more than 10 in either game.

Feb 15: Cal
Feb 17: Stanford (11AM, FSBA)


8. Oregon State: 3-11, 8-15

The Beavers played well in Arizona, losing to ASU by 15, and to Arizona by just 4. But the hard luck continues for this team that really lacks post play and depth. Frosh Judie Lomax does a great job for a sub 6 footer. She had 14 points against Arizona. Casey Nash continues to lead the Pac 10 is scoring, she had 39 in the two games. However she was only 16 for 39, 41%.

Feb 15: Stanford
Feb 17: Cal

9. Arizona: 3-12, 9-18

Won their 3rd Pac 10 game of the season, beating Oregon State, and also lost to Oregon. Ashley Whisonant had 29 points on the weekend, Joy Hollingsworth, 26.

Feb 15: @ UCLA
Feb 17: @ USC


10. Washington State: 1-14, 5-20

Lost badly in the Bay area to Stanford and then Cal.

Feb 17: Washington

February 4, 2007

After 50 in a row

Stanford suffered it's first loss after 50 straight conference wins to lowlight the week for the Cardinal. And to compound matters, starting Point Guard, JJ Hones suffered a knee injury at the start of the contest and could not return. Stanford remains # 1 in the conference, but they are back in a race with ASU who won twice. Stanford does own the tie breaker with ASU, having defeated the Sun Devils twice.

1. Stanford: 11-1, 19-4

The loss of JJ Hones will really affect the Cardinal. Will Candice become the full time Point Guard, as she was on Sunday? And does that mean the outside shooting must come from Cissy Pierce and Clare Bodensteiner who went a combined 1 for 19 Sunday? Or will Stanford revert to what has made them so successful over the years and pound the ball inside? Big questions and big adjustments if JJ is out for a period of time.

Feb 8: WSU
Feb 10: Washington


2. ASU: 11-2, 21-3

ASU won both their games this week, against the Washington schools. Jill Noe was 7 for 7 with 4 three pointers in an easy win over WSU. The Sun Devils had to come from behind to beat Washington in Seattle. Noe was high scorer there also, but 7 women scored between 8 and 13 points for the Sun Devils in a very balanced attack.

Feb 8: Oregon
Feb 10: Oregon State


3. Cal: 8-4, 18-5

Cal barely edged Richmond on Wednesday, then played their hearts out to defeat Stanford at Maples. Stanford had not lost a home conference game for 5+ seasons. Hampton had 22 points and 14 rebounds for Cal against Stanford. The huge games by the Frosh Guards Vital and Greif might have been even bigger as they played every minute and combined for 34 points.

Feb 8: Washington
Feb 10: Washington State


4. USC: 8-5, 14-9

USC barely beat Oregon State, then lost to Oregon, on the road. Shay Murphy, who else, scored 24 points in the 3 point win over Oregon State, then went 3 for 16 in the loss to Oregon.

Feb 10: UCLA


5. Washington: 7-6, 14-10

The Huskies lost a close one at home against ASU, then easily beat Arizona. Cameo Hicks led the Huskies with 41 points in the two games, 25 against Arizona.

Feb 8: @ Cal
Feb 10: @ Stanford


5. UCLA: 7-6, 13-12

Lost badly to Oregon but came back to defeat Oregon State. Noelle Quinn had her typical week with 38 points, 17 rebounds and 8 assists.

Feb 10: @ USC


7. Oregon: 5-7, 13-9

The Ducks quacked up two big home wins against the LA schools to jump back into the first division race. Both wins were by 10 or more points. Tamika Nurse had a career high 22 points against UCLA then she followed with 16 against USC. How to have two wins home wins like this? Oregon made 49 of it's 53 Free Throw attempts.

Feb 8: @ ASU
Feb 10: @ Arizona

8. Oregon State: 3-9, 8-13

The Beavers lost both games at home to the LA schools, the USC game being close. Casey Nash will continue to lead the conference in scoring, as she had 44 points for the week.

Feb 8: @ Arizona
Feb 10: @ ASU


9. Arizona: 2-11, 8-17

The Wildcats got a win this week, beating WSU. Joy Hollingsworth scored 20 points in that game, including 5 for 10 from three. Arizona lost to Washington, Hollingsworth scoring 26 points.

Feb 8: Oregon State
Feb 10: Oregon


10. Washington State: 1-12, 5-18

Washington State lost both their games to the visiting Arizona schools, although their game against the Wildcats was only a 4 point loss. Frosh Marisa Stotler scored 16 points in Arizona game.

Feb 8: @ Stanford
Feb 10: @ Cal