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Still time for surprises
By Maureen Mullen, Special to CNNSI.com This year's Pac-10 race has been quite the roller coaster ride. Teams entered their car, put the record on the line, and watched as it fluctuated with every unexpected twist, turn and wild drop. While the ride is far from over, the surprising jolts might be over for at least two of the Pac-10 teams, as Arizona State and Washington survived tough games, to distinguish themselves as the lone two competing for the title down the stretch. However after watching big teams lose big games all season, you never can tell. The Sun Devils have the cleanest record this season, currently recording a 11-3 mark in conference play. The only major blips in their record are two losses to Washington, and a blowout loss to Stanford in Palo Alto. It's no wonder the Huskies and the Cardinal stand second and third in the conference respectively. Arizona State played Stanford in the first game of the season, losing 94-62, leading critics to pretty much write them out of the Pac-10 race. When the teams meet again in the final match of the season on March 10, this time the Cardinal will have something to prove. In addition to its match-up with Stanford, the Sun Devils still have to survive a tough weekend up at the Oregon schools, and a March 6 game against California. All four teams are capable of challenging the Sun Devils, and their championship is far from in the bag. Meanwhile things are starting to look a little more concrete in Seattle. The Huskies blew past their biggest end of the season challenge this weekend, recording convincing wins over Stanford and California. All that's left on their calendar is a home contest against Washington State and a road trip to USC and UCLA. In the first time around, Washington beat each of the teams by at least 12 points, and if they play well should be able to finish up the season clean. Could any other teams impede Husky or Sun Devil championship hopes? Never say never, especially in the Pac-10. The well-coached Stanford team has suffered two devastating losses in its last three games -- to Washington and California. If head coach Tara VanDerveer can channel the disappointment into a strong final four game run, anything could happen. However with the Cardinal inconsistencies all season, and an ending road trip to Arizona and Arizona State it will be tough for Stanford to come out on top. The only other team that can mathematically have a shot at the title is Arizona. While the Wildcats have a strong core of seniors, and perhaps more talent than anyone else in the conference, a lot will have to go wrong for the Huskies and the Sun Devils for them to even get a crack. However, look for them to be a contending force in the final weekends as they aim to get a bid for the NCAA tournament. Records, records everywhere...While the Stanford squad has struggled to tally the big wins that are necessary to be a top 25 team, even head coach Tara VanDerveer can't be disappointed with this team's contributions to the record book. In Thursday's game versus Washington State, freshman Nicole Powell tallied a triple-double, nabbing 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, the first Stanford triple-double since Sonja Henning's in 1991. The only other player to record a triple-double in Stanford history is Olympic gold medalist Jennifer Azzi. Powell has shined in all aspects of the game in her debut season, and finds herself in the top 10 in the conference in eight of twelve statistical categories. She currently leads the Pac-10 in boards per game. If the point guard nabs the rebounding title she will be the first freshman in the Pac-10 ever to take the prize. In addition to Powell's heroics, junior Lindsey Yamasaki has made some waves of her own. Yamasaki tied the Pac-10 record for three-pointers in a single game, recording nine threes, en route to a career-high 34-point performance in the loss to the Huskies. Yamasaki's mark ties the record set by Stanford's Molly Goodenbour in 1993. Yamasaki wasn't the only one that came up big from three-point land on Saturday, the entire Cardinal squad recorded 16 three-pointers tying the Pac-10 record set by Washington earlier this season. Stanford couldn't seem to miss and even after several adjustments by the Husky defense, continued to loft in shots right over defenders. However while records are falling left and right for the Cardinal, the record Stanford would like to extend most is in jeopardy. Stanford has recorded 13-straight NCAA tournament appearances, and nothing but a few quality wins in the final weeks will help them make it 14. Pac-10 in good handsWith the conference season coming to a close, it is easy to get a little nostalgic and talk about all those seniors that have stepped up their games in their final season. However, perhaps the two most consistent scorers in the Pac-10 will be back next year for another wild ride. The Pac-10 isn't ready yet to say goodbye to Oregon State's Felicia Ragland and UCLA's Michelle Greco. The two juniors have been dueling for the conference scoring title all season, both playing on teams that have struggled in conference play. Ragland, a quick athletic guard that can score from anywhere on the court, has been tearing up Pac-10 defenses all season. Other teams know that when she is on, she is really on, and even a double team won't stop her. Ragland has scored in double figures in 23 of 25 games this year, and is currently second in the Pac-10 scoring race averaging 19.6 points a game. She leads the Pac-10 in three-point percentage, shooting a remarkable 46.5 percent, while she is second in three-pointer made. The junior is coming off a career-high 31 points versus UCLA. Greco is just in front of Ragland, averaging 19.8 points a game. Greco is much more of a slasher, and is sixth in the Pac-10 in steals per game. Greco also finds herself sixth in three-pointers per game. The week aheadAs the Pac-10 race comes down to the wire there are some big games this weekend. Arizona State and Arizona have the toughest weekend of any of the conference contenders as they take their games on the road to face the Oregon schools. USC and UCLA jaunt up to the Bay Area to take on Stanford and California in both teams' final home games. Both the Cardinal and the Golden Bears will look to complete a season sweep over the Los Angeles schools. In the final game of the weekend Washington State travels west to Seattle in hopes of making the road a little rougher for the Huskies.
Maureen Mullen is a reporter for The Stanford Daily, the student newspaper of Stanford University.
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