Game 37: Stanford (Elite 8)

After our best performance in over month, it's time to see if the play continues tonight. Tonight's opponent will be one of the best we have played all year and are nearly mirror images of us as they have an athletic wing, and two posts. The game is at 9:30 on ESPN2 and a win sends us to Tampa and the Final Four for the second time in three years. A win means another morning of extra coffee to make it through the day for the fans, but it will be worth it.

Stanford is 33-3 and the common opponents are Rutgers (W, 60-58), Temple (W, 63-54), UCLA (L, 69-56; W, 75-62; W, 78-45), Pittsburgh, (72-53)

Stanford scores 75 points per game, while only allowing 54.9. Since the back to back losses to start 2008, Stanford has only given up more than 60 points, three times and has yet to lose. They have only broken 80 three times, six times during the 21-game winning streak and they were all against subpar opponents. They are one of the best rebounding teams in the country and rank 10th in the country in rebounding margin (41.7 to 33.6). They also shoot well at 45.8 percent from the floor and .321 from behind the arc. Opponents shoot 34.8 and 29.1. They are steady with the ball, averaging only 13.3 turnovers a game. They also block 5.1 shots per game.

Stanford is led by All-American Candice Wiggins. For four years, she has tried to make the final four and has yet to do it, she is driven and does it all for Stanford. She leads the team in points at 19.6. She rebounds at 4.6 per game, is first in assists and steals and shoots 43.1 from the floor and 33% from behind the arc. She is a clone of Marissa and needs to be stopped. The first of the twin towers is Jayne Appel. She is 6'4 and scores 15.1 ppg and grabs 8.9 rebounds. She also leads the team with 89 blocks. Appel shoots 59.7 from the floor and doesn't take 3s. She has only fouled out once. The other twin tower is Kayla Pederson, a 6'4 freshman, who shoots more outside the box than Appel. She averages 12.6 points and grabs 8.5 rebounds. She will stroke the three, but is not much of a shot blocker. She also rarely picks up fouls. JJ Hones is a 5'10 guard and scores only 6.0 points per game. Hones is a three-point shooter, barely rebounds and is a distributor as she is second on the team in assists. Rosalyn Gold-Onwude is the fifth starter and averages 5.2 ppg at 5'10. She also barely rebounds and shoots 48% from the free throw line. She will shoot the three. Off the bench they have 6'1 forward Jillian Harmon, who scores 6.3 points, grabs 5.0 rebounds and has missed all nine threes this year. Next is Jeannette Pohlen, a 6'0 guard, averaging 4.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and shooting 26.6% from three. Cissy Pierce is a 5'10 guard who may also play and averages 2.8 points per game and is a shooter. Lastly, there is Morgan Clayburn, a 6'4 center, who goes to to spell the towers and that's it.

The Cardinal have experience against two great post players as they have done an effective job shutting down California's dynamic duo. Harper will have to bring her A game.

Keys on offense

Attacking the post. Stanford relies a lot on Pederson and Appel and if would could get them in foul trouble, it would help a lot.

Taking care of the ball. Stanford forces 16.5 turnovers a game and wants to get inside your head Rutgers style.

Attack Wiggins on defense. Make her work on defense and possibly saddle her with foul trouble or at least tire her out.

Rebound the ball. They have two main rebounders so the guards will have to help.

Harper must come up big with a double-double and stay out of the foul trouble that has plagued her most of the tournament.

Strickland has to continue to play the way she did on Saturday. She plays that way and we won't lose.

Keys on Defense

Don't let Wiggins get hot. She is pumped for this game and she can score 30 with no problem if we don't defend her. Either switch on screens or go under to limit the three-point shots.

Keep the ball away from Appel and Pedersen. Pedersen is more of the shooter where Appel goes for the layups. Probably front Appel.

Guards must help rebound. Since their guards don't we need Kristi and Marah to go after rebounds and limit second chance points.

Hands up to prevent threes.

Wiggins is the only main upperclassmen on this team so who knows how the young players will handle the pressure of the game. They could be like our kids or they could be nervous.

If we play man, I see Laura on Appel, Crystal on Pedersen, Marissa on Wiggins, Toliver on Hones and Strickland on Gold-Onwude.

We must force the tempo like we did on Saturday and see if Stanford has the fire power to do it.

I see us winning because Stanford can't keep up, but we must control Wiggins.

Lastly, as far I have read, no one is sick. (knock on wood)