Teams gear up as conference play approaches

  Stanford Sports Information Stanford’s Bethany
Donaphin will be expected to lead the Cardinal to the top
of the Pac-10 this year.

By Mayar Zokaei
Daily Bruin Contributor The road to the Pac-10 title isn’t
the one less traveled. It’s just that most women’s
basketball teams would elect not to go through favorite Stanford to
get it. However, with only a few weeks left before the conference
begins, it seems the Cardinal isn’t the only serious
contender in a race that’s considered up for grabs between at
least three teams. Stanford doesn’t even have the best
non-conference record in the Pac-10. The 16th-ranked Cardinal,
which finished tied for second with Arizona last season with a 13-5
conference record, opened the season with an 11-point loss to St.
Mary’s. But since then, Stanford has won five consecutive
games, equating to the third best start among conference teams.
“It’s early, but I see some good things out
there,” Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer said during the
conference media day. “I don’t like making predictions,
but I like coaching our team.” Sophomore Jamie Carey, who
made 81 three-pointers last season, and senior center Carolyn Moos,
who averaged 12.4 points and 5.5 rebounds a game, represent
Stanford on the preseason All-Pac-10 first team. Two-time defending
conference champion Oregon, ranked 10th in the nation by the AP,
has sprinted to a 4-0 record and features 11 returning
letter-winners, including first-team All-Pac-10 pick Angelina
Wolvert, a 6-feet-3 forward. The Ducks could be hindered by the
loss of 2000 conference player of the year Shaquala Williams, a
junior guard who will likely miss the entire season with a torn
ACL. If Oregon atones for Williams’ loss, they’ll
likely finish second. Oregon State has yet to garner a national
ranking but boasts the best record in the Pac-10 at 5-0. The
Beavers also boast first-team All-Pac-10 preseason selection
Felicia Ragland. The junior guard averaged 12.9 points last season.
The Beavers led the conference in scoring defense with 61.0 points
a game and more contributions from centers Ericka Cook and Kristina
Rukstelyte could propel them to a top-three spot in the conference.
“All the clubs are solid this year,” UCLA coach Kathy
Olivier said. “We don’t have the experience like the
other squads, but expectations here are to finish in the top
half.” The Bruins were winless through their first six
non-conference contests but figure to make a run when the
conference season begins. Expected back are sophomore Nicole
Kaczmarski, who is out at least until mid-December for personal
reasons, and LaCresha Flannigan, who is academically ineligible but
slated to return around the same time. Sans the two guards,
UCLA’s play has vacillated between mediocre and futile this
season. The Bruins lost All-American forward Maylana Martin and
five other seniors, but junior guard Michelle Greco, sophomore
Natalie Nakase and an influx of three junior college transfers is a
start. Olivier is hoping her squad gels in time for the Bruins to
make a run for the conference title and the NCAA tournament. A
fourth-place finish is possible. “If we were a 100 percent
healthy, and had our full team, it would be a different
story,” Olivier said. “We’re quicker this year,
but we definitely lack height.” Crosstown rival USC and head
coach Chris Gobrecht know that the young Trojans, despite their 3-2
record through Friday, are a talented squad. USC got a No. 3
ranking in the preseason coaches’ poll on the strength of
their top-notch freshman class, which features heralded forward
Ebony Hoffman, and their 7-2 finish in conference play, which
included victories in both games against Oregon. Inexperience makes
a fifth-place finish more likely. Arizona, picked to finish fourth,
is better suited at No. 6. The Wildcats won 25 games last year,
thanks in large to a potent offense that averaged a Pac-10 best
77.6 points a contest. Their top two scorers are gone, but junior
forward Elizabeth Pickney looks to build on a solid sophomore
campaign when she averaged 9.8 points and 4.5 rebounds a game.
Freshman Veranda James and sophomore Krista Warren, who just
returned from wrist surgery, should provide depth. Arizona State
gets seven new faces in its lineup, and it should help since their
top returning scorer averaged only 7.0 points a game. Amanda
Levens, who transferred in from Old Dominion, will make her ASU
debut after sitting out last season. All but one starter return for
Washington, including guards Megan Franza and Loree Payne, who
combined for 34.6 points and 6.5 assists a game. LeAnn Sheets is
the leading returning rebounder in the conference with a 6.8 a game
average. California gets a new coach in Caren Horstmeyer, but not
much else. Seven juniors and seniors mean this squad has
experience, especially with senior guard Courtney Johnson leading
the way. Johnson averaged 11.7 points a game last season and the
Bears were third-best in scoring defense in the conference last
season, giving up 64.6 points a game. Washington State returns
three starters and had the best free-throw percentage in the
conference. If anything, the back court will make good decisions:
seniors Katie Nyseth and Victoria Harrod were both Pac-10
All-Academic selections last season.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL STARTERS, AS OF 12/8 SOURCE:
UCLA Sports Info Original graphic by VICTOR CHEN/Daily Bruin Senior
Staff Web adaptation by MIKE OUYANG/Daily Bruin Staff
PAC-10 CONFERENCE PREVIEW 1.
Stanford The No. 16-ranked Cardinal have made 13 straight
NCAA tournament appearances and finished tied for second with
Arizona last season in the final Pac-10 standings. Stanford
received nine of 10 first-place votes in the preseason coach’s
poll. Sophomore Jamie Carey and senior Carolyn Moos were both named
pre-season first-team All-Pac-10. 2. Oregon The
two-time defending conference champion Ducks return eight juniors
and seniors. The absence of junior Shaquala Williams, the 2000
Pac-10 Player of the Year who tore her ACL, could hinder No. 10
Ducks. 3. Oregon State The Beavers currently have
the top non-conference record among Pac-10 teams at 5-0. They led
the conference in 2000 in scoring defense and rebounding
differential, giving up only 61.0 points a game and out-rebounding
foes by a 5.7 margin. Leading rebounder Felicia Ragland returns for
her junior season. 4. UCLA The Bruins lost six
seniors as well as Nicole Kaczmarski and LaCresha Flannigan for at
least the fall quarter, resulting in a 0-6 season-opening record. A
trio of Texas community college transfers should bolster the small
front court. Junior Michelle Greco, third in the Pac-10 in steals
in 2000, will be counted on to carry the scoring load. 5.
USC One of the top freshman classes in the nation is a big
asset for a Trojan squad that went 7-2 in the second half of Pac-10
play last season. The squad returns nine letter-winners, including
two-time Pac-10 honorable mention Tiffany Elmore, who averaged 10.6
points and 3.7 rebounds a game. 6. Arizona The
Wildcats registered a school-best 25 wins last season. They led the
conference in scoring last season with 77.6 points per game.
Arizona returns junior Elizabeth Pickney and Reshea Bristol, who
combined for 15.4 points and 4.5 rebounds last season. 7.
Arizona State Seven newcomers, including three redshirts
and a community college transfer, should solidify the Sun Devil
lineup. Leading scorer Natalie Tucker averaged only 7.0 points per
game last season. Amanda Levens, a transfer from perennial power
Old Dominion, should make an immediate impact. 8.
Washington The Huskies return four starters, including
senior Megan Franza and sophomore Loree Payne, who combined to
average 34.6 points and 6.5 assists a game. 9.
California The Golden Bears start the season with 10
returning letter-winners under new coach Caren Horstmeyer, who
coached at Santa Clara for 12 seasons. Last season the Bears
finished third in Pac-10 in scoring defense, giving up 64.6 points
a game. 10. Washington State The Cougars led the
conference in free throw percentage at 71.1 percent last year. They
have three starters returning, and seniors Katie Nyseth and
Victoria Harrod were Pac-10 All-Academic selections last season.
SOURCE: UCLA Sports Info Original graphic by JACOB LIAO/Daily Bruin
Web adaptation by CHRISTINE TAN/Daily Bruin