1. Stanford: No. 7 Stanford has come out of the gates strong — its two losses came against teams currently ranked in the top five — and is favored to win its fourth consecutive Pacific-10 Conference title. The Cardinal features one of the nation’s top players, senior forward Nicole Powell, who is second in the conference in scoring (20.2) and tops in rebounding (11.1). Stanford has the talent and depth to not only win the conference but to have a shot at winning the national title.
2. Arizona: The Wildcats are led by the duo of sophomore center Shawntinice Polk and junior guard Dee-Dee Wheeler. At 6-foot-5, Polk dominated opponents to the tune of a school-record 21 double-doubles and Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors last season. The Street & Smith’s First Team Preseason All-American is currently fourth in the conference in scoring (17.2) and third in rebounding (9.2). Wheeler, the 2001-02 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and first team all-conference selection last season, is sixth in the conference in scoring (16.9).
3. Washington: The Huskies have two of the conference’s top three scorers at their disposal in seniors Giuliana Mendiola (20.8 ppg) and Andrea Lalum (17.8 ppg). The 5-foot-11 Mendiola became the first player in Washington history to be named the Pac-10 Player of the Year last season, along with becoming the 18th Husky to score 1,000 career points. Lalum, a 6-foot-4 center, has been solid inside and scored 15 points in a 74-70 loss to then-No. 4 Texas Tech on Dec. 19.
4. Arizona State: The Sun Devils have controlled the boards so far; they own the top rebounding margin (eight) in the conference. Sophomore Kristen Kovesdy leads the team with 6.2 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-3 forward posted season-highs of 29 points against Washington (Dec. 29) and 12 rebounds against Texas A&M Corpus Christi (Dec. 10). Junior forward Betsy Boardman is the Sun Devils’ top scorer with 11.3 points per game. The Portland native missed last season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee on the second day of preseason practice. While Boardman is back, the Sun Devils are without the services of Jill Noe, who tore her ACL before the season. For two seasons in a row, Arizona State will be without a key piece of its offensive puzzle.
5. Oregon State: The Beavers received a shot of adrenaline on Dec. 27 in the form of junior guard Shannon Howell. The transfer from Nebraska became eligible due to NCAA Division I transfer rules and has been lighting it up ever since. In her first four games, Howell averaged 22.5 points per game en route to Pac-10 Player of the Week honors. With Howell in the lineup, Oregon State has won its last three games and is off to its best conference start since 1995-96. Whether she and the rest of the Beavers can keep it up is yet to be seen.
6. USC: Led by senior forward Ebony Hoffman, the Trojans have been a force in the paint. USC is third in the conference in rebounds per game (39.5) and leads the conference in offensive rebounding (16.36). The 6-foot-2 Hoffman is seventh in the conference in scoring (16.3) and second in rebounding (9.5). If the Trojans are going to be competitive, they will need to improve their shooting percentage, as USC ranks near the bottom of the Pac-10.
7. UCLA: The Bruins may have jump-started their season Sunday, overcoming a 14-point defect in the second half to beat Oregon. UCLA is an athletic team whose full-court press is capable of keeping them in almost any game. Sophomore guard Nikki Blue is the Bruins’ most feared player, averaging 15.3 points per game.
8. California: The Golden Bears won their Pac-10 opener for the first time in eight years when they defeated Oregon 61-57 on Dec. 27. California got off to a good start, winning four of its first five games. Senior guard Nihan Anaz (17.0), junior forward Leigh Gregory (12.3) and senior guard LaTasha O’Keith (10.0) are all averaging double figures in points.
9. Oregon: The Ducks looked like contenders for the conference title after five games, but the loss of senior forward Cathrine Kraayeveld to a knee injury quickly changed that. Oregon plays like a completely different team on both ends of the court. The Ducks have had problems dealing with pressure defenses and can’t seem to grab a rebound when they need one. Junior center Andrea Bills has been a bright spot, averaging 12.2 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game.
10. Washington State: The Cougars won’t be making much of an impact on the conference standings this season, winning only four of their first 13 games. They’re being outscored by an average of 17.2 points per game and rank near or at the bottom in most conference statistics. Senior forward Bianca McCall is the team’s leading scorer at 11.5 points per game. The Cougars will make the Pac-10 Tournament, but only because all 10 women’s teams are guaranteed a slot in the postseason tournament.

— Jon Roetman

Games to watch
Arizona at Stanford (Jan. 10): Much like the men, this game will be about bragging rights. The Wildcats and Cardinal are favorites to be on top in the Pac-10.
Arizona State at California (Jan. 10): The Sun Devils and Golden Bears are fighting for a piece of the Pac-10 pie. Both need this win to vault them onto the right track.
Oregon at Oregon State (Jan. 10): A Civil War contest with more than just those
implications. The Beavers are walking on air while the Ducks are down in the dumps.
Oregon State at Washington (Jan. 17): The Northwest battle should be an early
indication of where the teams will stack at the end of the season. Husky win?
USC at Stanford (Jan. 25): Rometra Craig and Ebony Hoffman pace the Trojans against the Cardinal in Palo Alto. USC has the legs to run with Stanford. Upset time?
Stanford at Arizona (Feb. 5): The rematch comes in the Valley of the Sun. By this time, the Cardinal should have Nicole Powell back and dominating the baseline.
USC at Washington (Feb. 7): The Trojans newfound glory will be tested against
Giuliana Mendiola and Washington. The Huskies have the advantage in this one.
Arizona at Washington (Feb. 28): This one could be a precursor to the Pac-10 Tournament Championship. It comes in the final weekend of the regular season.