For the first time in more than a year, No. 6 Stanford has some quality competition at the top of the Pacific-10 Conference.
And you wouldn’t believe who it is.
UCLA, the Pac-10’s No. 8 team last year, is 5-0 in conference play this season, including a 72-64 victory over UCLA Sunday.
“UCLA is a radically different type of team,” USC head coach Chris Gobrecht told the Daily Bruin. “They have five guards running around on the basketball court. I don’t know anyone else who does that.”
The Bruins are building on a streak that has claimed Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State.
Much of that success can be attributed to the reemergence of senior guard Michelle Greco. The 2001 Pac-10 scoring leader sat out last season because of a history of mild concussions.
This season, the La Crescenta, Calif., native has averaged 21 points per game in conference play.
“Greco brings their leadership and their intensity,” USC forward Rachel Woodward said. “They’re a totally different team from last year with her in the lineup.”
The Bruins, who received votes in this week’s Associated Press Top-25 ranking for the first time this season, will get a test this week when they travel south to Arizona.
Arizona State looms large Thursday, with No. 18 Arizona waiting for
UCLA Saturday.
“It’s been a fun five games,” UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier said. “Hopefully we can keep it up.”

Speaking of Arizona …
It sends shivers up the spine to hear of a Pac-10 team in any sport speak of playing defense.
But recently, two squads — California and Arizona — have specifically said defense has been key for victories and close losses.
For Cal, the defense hasn’t translated to victories. But for No. 18 Arizona, it has helped fuel a turnaround from last season’s 10-8 conference record.
At 4-2 in the conference, the Wildcats stand fourth. Statistically, Arizona is third in the Pac-10 in scoring defense per game at 61.5 points. Coupled with a Pac-10-leading 78.3 points per game, Arizona is making its case for a first-ever Pac-10 Championship.
“We know our team can be great if we play defense,” senior Krista Warren told the Daily Wildcat after a victory over Georgia in December.

Conference musings
Three of the top seven scorers in the Pac-10 are freshmen. Arizona’s Shawntinice Polk is third at 17.5 points per game, followed by Arizona State’s Jill Noe (No. 6, 16 ppg) and Oregon’s Carolyn Ganes (No. 7, 15.7 ppg) …
Those same freshmen have accounted for four of the Pac-10’s Player of the Week awards. Polk earned the distinction on Dec. 2 and Dec. 22, while Noe has on Dec. 16 and Jan. 6…
Since sophomore Kayla Burt suffered a career-ending and life-threatening heart ailment on New Year’s Eve, Washington has gone 3-1 in Pac-10 play. The team’s only loss came against UCLA, 72-46, on Jan. 3 in the Huskies’ first game since the tragic event.