The Pacific-10 Conference will hold a tournament this year for the first time in conference history.
As a result, the first week of March may prove to be an exciting time of the season for conference teams, but for most, the early part of the season is the most important.
Pac-10 play is underway, with all but Stanford and California having completed close to one-third of the season. The Cardinal and Washington have already proved to be the front-runners for the No. 1 seed in the tourney, with Cal and Washington State looking more and more like the cellar-dwellers they usually are.
1. No. 5 Stanford Cardinal
(14-1 overall, 4-0 Pac-10)
Head Coach: Tara VanDerveer,
23rd year
Player to watch: Nicole Powell, F
After having a so-so 2001 season, at least by their standards, the Cardinal have rebounded to fifth in the nation and the cream of the crop in the conference. Powell has already been named the Pac-10’s player of the week twice this season and is showing no signs of letting up.
However, with the exception of a win over USC, Stanford has not played a tough conference schedule as of yet. Oregon visits Maples Pavilion Sunday and Stanford visits Washington the next week. If they can survive these two tough games, the Cardinal will be on the fast track to keep the top position.
2. Oregon Ducks (9-6, 4-2)
Head Coach: Bev Smith, 1st year
Player to watch: Cathrine Kraayeveld, F
After an off year that saw the Ducks embroiled in turmoil, Oregon looks to return and capture its third Pac-10 title in four seasons. Shaquala Williams, the Ducks’ leader and 2000 Pac-10 Player of the Year, returns after sitting out last season with an injury, and will provide a big lift to a young squad.
However, this is a young team, and unless the Ducks can grow up fast, they could be resigned to the middle of the pack. Bets are, though, from early play, that the team will gel and grow up quickly. They’ll have to against Stanford this weekend.
3. USC Trojans (8-7, 4-2)
Head Coach: Chris Gobrecht,
23rd year
Player to watch: Aisha Hollans, G
The most balanced team in the conference will put up a fight to come out on top. They’ve already shown that resiliency against Stanford and Washington, barely losing to both teams. If Hollans and center Ebony Hoffman stay healthy, USC could be a dark horse to take the conference tournament this season. But the Trojans may be a lock to make the NCAA tournament this season anyway.
4. Washington Huskies (9-5, 4-1)
Head Coach: June Daugherty,
13th year
Player to watch: Loree Payne, G
One of three conference champs last year (with Stanford and Arizona State), Washington has proven to be one of the most successful teams against their Pac-10 foes. Besides a loss at Oregon in recent weeks, the Huskies defeated USC by one and dominated Washington State and Oregon State. The Huskies look to remain atop the standings with games against Arizona State and Stanford in the next two weeks.
5. Oregon State (8-7, 4-2)
Head Coach: Judy Spoelstra,
13th year
Player to watch: Felicia Ragland, G
Ragland looks to lead the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the 1996. She is the reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year and currently leads the conference in scoring with 20.3 points per game. Without Ragland, though, the Beavers are not as well-rounded as the rest of the conference, with only one other player, Hollye Chapman, placing in the top 20 in scoring.
6. Arizona State (12-4, 3-2)
Head Coach: Charli Turner Thorne, 9th year
Player to watch: Amanda Levens, G
The Sun Devils are 11-2 when Levens leads them in scoring, so stopping her is the key to stopping the Arizona State offense. At 20.2 points per game, not many teams have been able to do so. With solid background players in guard Betsy Boardman and center Melody Johnson, the Sun Devils have an excellent chance to run the gambit during the conference tournament. If they can’t, they may be resigned to the National Invitation Tournament, but could squeak into the NCAAs if six Pac-10 squads are chosen.
7. Arizona Wildcats (5-8, 1-4)
Head Coach: Joan Bonvicini,
23rd year
Player to watch: Elizabeth
Pickney, F
This is where the conference begins to drop off, as last year’s middle of the pack team begins to drop to the bottom. The ‘Cats are ninth in the Pac-10 in scoring defense, allowing 74.4 points per game. They’ve already given up 83 three-pointers in 13 games, while only Pickney and guard Dee-Dee Wheeler are providing the offense. This should be a down year for Arizona.
8. UCLA Bruins (5-9, 2-4)
Head Coach: Kathy Olivier,
9th year
Player to watch: Malika Leatham, C
Internal problems will plague the Bruins this season with two stalwarts already leaving the team. UCLA saw Michelle Greco leave first, only to have Kristee Porter leave a little while later for a career in volleyball. UCLA has beaten up California and Washington State — the teams they should have — but have been greatly outmatched by the rest of the conference.
9. California Golden Bears
(5-8, 0-4)
Head Coach: Caren Horstmeyer, 14th year
Player to watch: Ami Forney, F/C
A team that has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1993 will fail to go once again. Forney can play with just about anybody in the conference, but as a team, the Golden Bears are too inexperienced and lack the necessary depth to remain competitive during conference play. Their five non-conference wins are a step in the right direction, though, as this is a program that has not seen much success in its history.
10. Washington State Cougars
(2-13, 0-5)
Head Coach: Jenny Przekwas,
11th year
Player to watch: Brittney Hawks, C
There can be only one success story in Pullman, Wash., this year. Unfortunately for the Cougar women, that title already belongs to the Cougar football team. This squad is devoid of depth and has been beaten by an average of 24 points in its five conference games. Their two wins came against Portland State and Gonzaga. Enough said.
E-mail sports reporter Hank Hager at [email protected].