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The big three
By Maureen Mullen, Special to CNNSI.com Three seemed to be the magic number in Pac-10 basketball this past week. With Stanford and Washington both tallying a pair of wins, they join Arizona State in a three-way tie atop of the Pac-10 conference. How did the Cardinal and the Huskies get there? The three-point shot, of course. As both schools couldn't seem to miss from beyond the arch this weekend, both setting single game records for three point baskets. Washington smashed not only their school record, but the Pac-10 record as well, hitting 16 treys in its win over Arizona on Thursday. The most impressive part of the three-point effort was that seven separate players hit from downtown for the Huskies, making it nearly impossible to defend them around the perimeter. "It seems like every one of their players shot a three," said frustrated Arizona guard Reshea Bristol. "And when one makes it everyone gets on a roll. We just had to step out on them and not let them get the drive, yet they're good shooters too." The Huskies hit another eight three-points on Saturday against Arizona State, giving their second weekend win over a ranked opponent, a share of first place in the Pac-10 as well as their first AP ranking since 1998, as they debuted at No. 22 on the weekly poll. Nobody should be more credited with Washington's success then its tough trio of starting guards. Senior Megan Franza, especially deserves some recognition, as she is showing what you need to do to make the most of your final season. Franza averaged 24 points over the weekend, and can create her own shot better than anyone in the Pac-10. Adding to the talented three-some are sophomore Loree Payne and freshman Giulianna Mendiola. Both of the underclassmen, like Franza, have an offensive instinct, which allows them to score from anywhere on the floor. Stanford has also found triple threat of its own in the junior trio of Lindsey Yamasaki, Lauren St. Clair and Enjoli Izidor. St. Clair had three threes in the closing minutes to lift Stanford over a tough Oregon squad on Thursday, before the three combined to rain shots from beyond the arch against Oregon State on Saturday. The Cardinal had a school-record-tying 14 three pointers against the Beavers, a mark that would have tied the Pac-10 record, had the Huskies not broken it two days earlier. The win was their seventh straight, a streak they haven't met for two years. Washington, Arizona State and Stanford all made the crucial break from the hodge-podge of the conference race. All three stand at 8-3, two games ahead of trailing Arizona and California. Senior successWhile its easy to focus on the conference leaders, the team that has made the greatest turn around as of late is undoubtedly California. With another sweep this weekend over Oregon and Oregon State, the Golden Bears have extended their streak to four games, a record they haven't matched since the 1991-1992 season. After starting the conference season with a 0-3 record, nobody predicted that California would ever get this far. Having won six of their last eight since that fateful time, the Bears now sit one game away from .500 with critical wins over some top Pac-10 teams firmly in their pockets. California's recent success should be accredited to their critical senior leadership in the guard position. Courtney Johnson and Kenya Corley are about the best duo the Pac-10 has to offer. What the two lack in size, they make up for in athleticism, as the combination of quickness and speed rivals some of the best in the game. Both Johnson and Corley erupted offensively in the second half in both of the games this weekend, leading the Bears to wins after being down at the half. Corley currently leads the Bears with 13.2 points per game, while Johnson is right behind her with 13.0 points per game. They are ninth and tenth respectively in Pac-10 scoring. However in recent games it has been the Golden Bears defense that has led the way, as California has held teams to only 57.3 points in its last four games. Who sets the tone on the defensive end of the floor? Johnson, and Corley of course. Johnson is currently sixth in the Pac-10 for all-time career steals, and comfortably grabs five a game. Corley is a quick, smothering defender, that can stay with any guard. The week aheadStanford, Arizona State and Washington won't be able to rest on their laurels for long, with some tough match-ups coming this weekend. The winning streaks of Stanford and Cal collide this weekend in what could be one of the most competitive Bay Area battles in recent memory. Both the Cardinal and the Golden Bears struggled a month ago up in Berkeley, however two much-improved squads will take the floor at Maples Pavilion on Friday night. It is always interesting to see how the towering Cardinal squad matches up with a quick, fast, guard-dominated squad like the Golden Bears. Meanwhile the Huskies will have to take on Oregon and Oregon State when they are hungriest. Both teams are coming off a two-loss road trip and are eager to return home and get their seasons back on track. For the Ducks, there is no better way to do that than returning to MacArthur Court, a venue that can shake even the sharpest of visiting teams. Don't count Washington State out of the mix this weekend. The Cougars have been able to mount some successful home games, and a good road trip this weekend down in Oregon could be all they need to put them back in contention. Both Arizona and Arizona State will to recover from their road struggles as well, as they host the Los Angeles schools. After a win over UCLA this weekend, and victories over both the Wildcats and the Sun Devils in their home meeting, the Women of Troy will be looking to pick up two more wins this weekend. The Wildcats want nothing but redemption after losses to both the Bruins and the Trojans knocked them out of the conference lead, and sent their season spiraling earlier this season. Maureen Mullen is a reporter for The Stanford Daily, the student newspaper of Stanford University.
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