ON FRIDAY THE 28TH DOWN IN THE DESERT WE TANGLE WITH WILDCATS. THEN ON SUNDAY ITS THE SUN DEVILS.

You're probably aware that the Arizona Wildcats are having their best season in fifteen years. Adia Barnes has turned the PAC12's ex-doormat into the 11th ranked team in the nation with a 22 and 4 record. Recently, against Utah their star, Aari MacDonald, was sidelined, so Sam Thomas went off for 31 points in the win. In late January they beat UCLA 92 to 66 in the McKale Center before 7400 screaming fans. MacDonald had 27 and Thomas had 20 points. On Friday night its our turn to play the Wildcats in McKale in front of those same 7400 raucous Arizona fans.

It's time Stanford got its supercharger tuned up and showed the nation why we're ranked No #4. The PAC12 Tournament is right around the corner and the Big Dance is two weeks later - let's get this lethal machine roaring and go on a rampage. Our defense and Kiana can't carry us to the Dance - we need to get five or six in double figures with 3's raining down from everywhere and everyone!! The last second heroics are fine, but this team needs to move on to a slew of old fashioned butt-kicking wipeouts. Instead of giving up our 14 point leads - we need to come out in the fourth and win big - going away. Here's the link to the Wildcat website: 
  
https://arizonawildcats.com/index.aspx?path=wbball

Then, after the Wildcats, we move into Tempe and face the Sun Devils. Same story. It's time to show Charlie Creme and his eastern cohorts how its done out west. We adore Charlie Turner Thorne, Tara's ex-point guard, but now its winning time in the desert. Let's go take care of business in Arizona and then head into Vegas and Selection Monday with Big Mo written all over us.

https://thesundevils.com/sports/womens-basketball

FRIDAY AT 8PM IT'S THE BEAVERS. THEN, ON MONDAY AT 6PM WE TAKE DOWN THE DUCKS!!

On Friday we tangle yet again with the Beavers, who have fallen on hard times of late. Their talented 6'-6" freshman post player, Kennedy Brown, was lost for the season last week - while our talented junior post player, Maya Dotson, returned to the lineup to play against Utah for the first time this season.

Over the last eight games the Beavs are 3 and 5 and later today they take on a very tough UCLA team in Pauley, after a loss to USC over the weekend. The weekend before, in front of 8,000 in Gill, they beat the Sun Devils by two points with point two seconds left on the game clock. Sounds like life in the PAC12, doesn't it? 

If you haven't already, you should read Warren Grimes' blog piece on our last two games against Colorado. It makes you appreciate the fantastic effectiveness of our coach, her staff, and our incredible players who consistently execute when everything is on the line. Here's the Beaver website:  
https://osubeavers.com/sports/womens-basketball

Needless to say, regardless of how it goes tonight for the Beavers in LA, we can expect Mikayla Pivec and her crew to show up in Maples on Friday with fire in their eyes. We have to be 1000% ready to match their intensity. Let's fill the place with our loudest support for this amazing team that plays with all they've got for Stanford.

Then, on Monday we do it all over again against Oregon. But this time - let's beat'em. Once again, I refer you to Warren's blog piece from mid-January on beating Oregon. He says it better than I could, but basically we have to play fantastic defense, hit our shots, make great passes, set good screens, and eliminate turnovers. He also says we need to find someone to do a great impersonation of Brittney McPhee and just go off on'em. The Duck website:

https://goducks.com/sports/womens-basketball

This is a big game. Let's show up and become outrageously ear-splitingly supportive!!     

GO STANFORD! WE CAN DO THIS!!

STANFORD NEXT HEADS TO THE MOUNTAIN SCHOOLS AND HAD BETTER BE READY TO RUMBLE!!

Next we get the mountain teams. On Friday evening our team will be in Salt Lake City to take on the Utes. On Sunday we play the Buffaloes in Boulder. Both games will be high altitude tests - literally and figuratively. Our team must come out on fire to pass each test. In fact that goes for the rest of February, all of March, and early April (hopefully.) I'll remind you that the Utes can absolutely destroy teams who don't effectively defend the three-point line. The Buffs came one great out-of-bounds play and an overtime period of beating the Cardinal. So, this is the PAC12 Tara's been praying for, for decades! Well, it's here.  And man-o-man, boys and girls, we've got to be 1000% ready for each and every contest, from here on out! These links will get you to the mountain websites:

https://utahutes.com/sports/womens-basketball

https://cubuffs.com/sports/womens-basketball


The PAC12 conference season has been turned into a pre-NCAA Tournament tournament! Have you checked out Charlie Creme's latest bracketology? He's got six strong PAC12 teams scattered around - and if those perennial eastern darlings that populate the top of the rankings aren't ready for absolute battle - this NCAA Tournament could be packed with shocking demises from top to bottom. Can you see Oregon having to battle Arizona State in the Elite Eight? Or Stanford (even without three starters) upsetting South Carolina to reach the Final Four? Arizona taking Baylor to the final minute in the Regional Semi and then the Bears having to face UCLA in the Regional Final? Oregon State could win the Fort Wayne Regional. I don't think the eastern sports writers (including Charlie) realize what it's like to face any of these six PAC12 tigers on a good night. Just ask Oregon, or the Beavers, or Stanford.

www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/bracketology

THE TROJAN WOMEN ARE WORKING VERY HARD AND GETTING BETTER WEEK BY WEEK.

Three weeks ago USC defeated UCLA at the Galen Center in double overtime 70 to 68. Than was the highlight of the season so far. Michaela Onyenwere didn't play for the Bruins. In that game Aliyah Jeune had 27 points and 13 rebounds and Alissa Pili had 19 points and 17 rebounds.Then a week ago USC lost to the Sun Devils by one point in triple overtime. Endyia Rogers scored 30 points and Alissa Pili had 18 points and 7 rebounds.In between tbose two overtime games the Trojans beat both the Washington schools. They're 11 and 10 overall and 4 and 7 in conference. The following is a link to their team website:

https://usctrojans.com/sports/womens-basketball 

Mark Trakh has cobbled together a group of freshmen, sophomores, and graduate transfers and over the coarse of twenty-one games he's turned them into a very decent PAC12 team. They'll give a good account of themselves on Sunday.  

AS JAPREECE DEAN AND MICHAELA ONYENWERE GO - SO GO THE UCLA BRUINS! WE CAN STOP'EM!!

Like most, I was stunned by Arizona clobbering UCLA last week by 26 points. How did that happen? Well, for openers, Japreece Dean was held to 16 points below her season average. She had a grand total of 2 points. She went 0 for 8 from 2 and 0 for 3 from 3. She hit two free throws. I guess everyone is allowed a clunker of a game every so often, but wow!

Meanwhile, Aari McDonald (the Tucson Tornado) went off for 27 points, and basically tore UCLA's defense to shreds. 

UCLA was 12% (2 of 17) from 3. While the Wildcats hit 46% of their 3's. (11 of 24). That stat alone equals the scoring differential.  

So what does all this mean, when the Bruins are coming to Maples Friday at 8PM? Well, to their credit, UCLA limped north to Tempe and beat the Sun Devils two days after their collapse in Tucson. And Japreece scored her usual 18 points in that win. The following is the UCLA women's basketball website:
 
https://uclabruins.com/sports/womens-basketball

UCLA's struggles in Tucson, indicate that we should play team defense against Japreece - backing up Kiana so she can play her close - and then thoroughly block out Onyenwere to keep her off the boards. If we keep those two well below their averages - Charisma Osborne (their third leading scorer) and the rest of the Bruins won't beat us. 

GO STANFORD!! WE CAN DO THIS!! 

BOBI BUCKETS SAYS IT'S HIGH TIME THE COUGS WHIP THE CARDINAL!! SHE PLANS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS FEAT ON SUNDAY AT NOON!!

Ms. Buckets (Borislava Hristova) The Bulgarian Bomber announced last week that Washington State is ready and able to take down the Stanford Cardinal. She'll graduate soon and the game this Sunday will probably be her last shot. They tore through the Cal Bears Friday night (Bobbie had 32) and they're primed and loaded for the Cardinal this Sunday. This is a link to the Cougar website: https://wsucougars.com/sports/womens-basketball 

The Cougs figure the Cardinal will stroll into Beasley ready to roll to another in their long line of double-digit wins in the Palouse. Bobi and her cohort Chanelle Molina (the Double Double machine) have gotten the rest of their conspirators (Jovana, Ula, Bella, and Johanna) prepped to spring their ambush on Sunday. Somebody should warn the Cardinal!!

COME ON STANFORD!! WE AIN'T GONNA STROLL INTO NO STINKIN AMBUSH!