Feb. 18, 2006
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Candice Wiggins scored 24 points and Brooke Smith added 22 to lead No. 11 Stanford to an 87-76 victory over Arizona on Saturday.
The Cardinal (19-6, 14-3) rebounded from a loss at Arizona State to remain in first place in the Pac-10.
The Wildcats (7-20, 3-13) have lost eight straight but they didn't look like a team in the midst of a huge losing streak in the first half. Arizona was 8-for-16 from 3-point range, including Joy Hollingsworth's 3 to give the Wildcats a 34-33 lead.
But behind 18 first-half points from Wiggins, the Cardinal took back the lead and were up 43-40 at half.
Smith and Stanford's big front line took control in the second half.
An Arizona turnover with 14:20 left led to an easy fast-break layup for Jillian Harmon, giving Stanford a 55-49 lead.
The Cardinal went back down low, feeding Smith for a close-range basket and a 57-49 lead.
Smith then reeled off a 7-0 run of her own to put Stanford firmly in control, as the lead went to 62-51. Smith had 15 points in the second half, all from inside the paint.
Arizona tried to respond to the Cardinal size with speed, slicing the lead to 79-72 with 1:48 left on Natalie Jones' jumper.
Jones, in her final home game, did all she could to keep the score close, scoring 27 points.
But the Cardinal refused to let it get any closer, closing out the Wildcats with tight defense.