Things have changed since I previewed our December 18th game against Tennessee. Tamari Key, their 6'-6" post player, is out for the rest of the season with a medical problem. Rickea Jackson, their 6'-2" transfer from Mississippi State, has been returned to her spot in the starting lineup. For several weeks she had been missing from the team after removal by the coach.
Jordan Horston has recovered from her knee injury and is playing very well. Jillian Hollingshead, their 6'-5" freshman, is back in the lineup, as well.
Their preseason has been an up-and-down affair. They're currently 5 and 5. Recently they beat Colorado by 18 and lost to #13 UCLA by 18. They lost to #22 Gonzaga by one and to #7 Virginia Tech by three.
They started the season ranked #5 and are currently unranked. In Charlie Creme's first iteration of the 64 team bracket, Tennessee was a number two seed. In his latest edition they have fallen out of the 64 team field altogether.
So, if we're looking for a moral to this story, it could be that there are no guarantees in women's basketball - and just because Stanford has been a ranked team for 615 weeks there can be no resting on past laurels.
Obviously, from the Vols' viewpoint, their trip to Palo Alto is step one on their road back to the NCAA Tournament. They aren't coming out here for the weather. Jordan Horston is one of the most electrifying athletes in America and I'm sure she fully intends to put up twenty-five or thirty on the 18th in a winning effort.
Their charter from Knoxville to SFO will bring a quiet, serious, determined group ready to turn their season around by knocking off #2. Kelly Harper is a three-time National Champion for Pat Summit and a Tennessee legend. She will have her team ready to win on the 18th.
Stanford has to come off their two week break ready to rock. We can't be slow starting or sluggish out of the gate. Tennessee means business and Jordan and her crew will come out swinging and slinging. Be Ready!!
LET'S GO STANFORD!!
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