Heading into the fourth week of the regular season, two teams — Oregon and fifth-ranked Stanford– sit atop the Pacific-10 conference with perfect records.
The Cardinal improved to 5-0 after their victory over No. 11 Texas Tech on Sunday, which came on the heels of Stanford’s first-place finish in the 2004 Great Alaska Shootout.
In the two Shootout games in Anchorage, Alaska, the Cardinal’s average margin of victory was 30.5 points — defeating Eastern Washington 91-50 and Louisiana-Lafayette 67-47.
Stanford’s junior center Brooke Smith averaged a team-high 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during the recent three-game stretch, including a career-best 22 points against Texas Tech.
Oregon remained among the unbeaten after taking home the Long Island Turkey Classic title last weekend.
Oregon senior forward Cathrine Kraayeveld was named the tournament MVP, with a combined 28 points and 18 rebounds in both games.
The Ducks got some clutch shooting from junior guard Chelsea Wagner and sophomore forward Eleanor Haring. Both Wagner and Haring scored or tied career-highs with 21 points in the Ducks’ 79-73 victory over Miami. Wagner hit five three-pointers, while Haring went 10 for 11 from the field — the 10th best field-goal percentage in a single game in Oregon history.
UCLA women ranked for first time since 1999-2000 season
In other non-conference action, UCLA handed fourth-ranked Texas — who defeated top-ranked Tennessee a few days before — a major upset with a 63-60 victory on Sunday in Pauley Pavilion.
As a result, the Bruins moved into the rankings of the Associated Press poll for the first time since Feb. 21, 2000, when UCLA was ranked No. 22.
The Bruins’ win over Texas was their first over a top-10 opponent since the 1999-2000 season, when they defeated No. 8 North Carolina 69-65.
“I think we’re playing very good basketball right now,” UCLA head coach Kathy Olivier said. “It’s so early, but we’re executing and doing little things really well. Hopefully, we can maintain it throughout the year.”
UCLA’s guard Noelle Quinn named Pac-10 player of the week
One of the main reasons for the Bruins’ victory over the Longhorns was the play of guard Noelle Quinn.
The sophomore was named the Pac-10 women’s basketball Player of the Week for Nov. 22-28 after averaging 25.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 2.5 assists in two games last weekend, including UCLA’s upset over Texas. Quinn averaged 43.5 percent from the field, while shooting 33.3 percent from three-point range.
In the victory over Texas, Quinn scored a game-high 27 points, including the last seven for the Bruins, and added 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. She played all 40 minutes without a turnover.
With six seconds remaining in the game, Quinn grabbed a rebound off a missed Texas free throw, was fouled and sank both of her free throws to give UCLA a three-point lead.
In the Bruins’ second game of the weekend, Quinn scored a game-high 23 points and posted seven steals, four rebounds and three assists against opponent Clemson.
Thirty in a row at home for Arizona and counting
The Arizona women’s basketball team has extended its home winning streak to 30 games.
With their victory over Texas El-Paso, the Wildcats now have not lost at home since Nov. 30, 2002 — a 83-74 defeat against Holy Cross.
Their streak is tied for second longest in the nation with Louisiana State.
Arizona has not only won at home during the streak, but has won heartily much of the time. Only three times in the past two seasons have the Wildcats won by 10 points or less.
Tourneys bounce through conference this weekend
Three Pac-10 teams host tournaments this week. Arizona State will host the Arizona State University Holiday Classic and will try to win the trophy for the fourth consecutive season.
Arizona will host the Fiesta Bowl Women’s Basketball Classic and California will host the inaugural Contra Costa Times Classic.

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