Jan. 14, 2006
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - The California-Stanford rivalry, typically so intense and heated, might have finally extended to women's basketball.
For the first time in years, Cal had a serious shot at an upset in Maples Pavilion.
Candice Wiggins made a career-high seven 3-pointers and Krista Rappahahn hit six from long range to match her career best, leading No. 14 Stanford to an 87-75 victory over its archrival on Saturday.
It was the most points for the Golden Bears against the Cardinal since Stanford's 92-75 victory Jan. 21, 1994 - and Cal did it without suspended leading scorer Devanei Hampton.
"They're big-time players, and this was without their best player," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "They're very, very good. They play with purpose."
Stanford has won five straight since back-to-back losses at Washington and Boston College late last month, and has 12 consecutive wins against the Golden Bears.
Wiggins finished with 33 points for her third 30-point game of the season and second in a row. She also had eight assists and six steals and Rappahahn added 18 points off the bench.
Brooke Smith had 22 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals for the Cardinal (11-4, 6-1 Pac-10), who beat California for the 27th time in the last 28 meetings of the Bay Area rivalry.
The Cardinal shot 14-for-32 from 3-point range. Wiggins, the reigning Pac-10 player of the year and conference freshman of the year, is averaging 28.8 points during her team's winning streak and had another impressive offensive show after scoring a career-high 37 in a win at Oregon last Saturday.
Alexis Gray-Lawson, one of Cal's four sensational freshmen, scored eight straight for the Bears during one first-half stretch and they led 12-4 early before an 11-2 run by Stanford, including the final five by Wiggins.
Gray-Lawson scored a career-high 30 points and Ashley Walker had her fourth straight double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds for the scrappy Bears, who made a statement in Maples Pavilion with their hard work.
"I think it's great for the Pac-10 that teams are getting better and it's great for the Bay Area that Cal's getting better," said Smith, who grew up in nearby Marin County.
Cal pulled within 70-62 on three free throws by Gray-Lawson with 6:07 remaining, then cut it to six moments later on a basket by Walker.
Hampton, a 6-foot-3 freshman center averaging 15.5 points and seven rebounds, received a one-game suspension for her involvement in a fight at a high school girls' game in Oakland on Tuesday. No police report was filed.
Also suspended was sophomore center Jessica Lawson for taking part in the altercation, but Lawson is redshirting as she recovers from knee surgery and will sit out a game upon her return next season.
Cal (12-5, 4-3), which had equaled its best start in 13 years, matched Stanford's intensity on both ends Saturday. The Cardinal haven't lost to the Bears since an 82-73 defeat at Maples Pavilion on Feb. 16, 2001.
It has been nearly 110 years since Stanford's 2-1 victory over Cal on April 8, 1896, in the first women's intercollegiate basketball game.
First-year Cal coach Joanne Boyle was away from the team to be in North Carolina for a family illness. She is expected to rejoin the team early next week and assistant Lindsay Gottlieb coached in Boyle's place.
"Joanne is in the right place," Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour said.
Gottlieb planned to call Boyle, but after she figured out how to explain the 87 points the Bears allowed.
"I'm so proud of these kids," Gottlieb said. "We've faced a lot of adversity this week."
Stanford struggled early and didn't lead for the first time until a 3 by Wiggins with 7:33 remaining in the half. But the Cardinal, picked to win the Pac-10 for the fifth straight year, forced the Bears into 16 first-half turnovers and led 41-32 at the break.
Wiggins scored 11 straight points, including three 3-pointers, late in the half.
Rappahahn didn't practice all week because of a tender left foot, but showed up in the arena nearly four hours before tipoff to do some extra shooting.
"I was antsy because I hadn't played all week," she said. "It was just good to be out there. That was my goal."
The Cardinal won all three meetings with the Bears last season, outscoring Cal 260-143.