NCAA Women | Pac-10 teams try to end drought

STANFORD, Calif. — Candice Wiggins is fully aware of the West Coast's recent futility in the NCAA women's tournament. The Stanford standout grew up in San Diego, closely following the Cardinal and the sport in general.

She is all for reversing the trend this season, as she ends her remarkable run at Stanford.

No school west of the Rockies has won the Division I women's national title since Stanford did so in 1992 — and none has advanced to the Final Four since the Cardinal's trip in 1997. If that drought is going to be snapped this year, Stanford and Pac-10 rival California have the best chances.

"We're usually underrepresented in the first place. It's important we all are successful," said Wiggins, the three-time Pac-10 player of the year, before Stanford's practice Friday. "It's amazing. It's kind of hard to believe this is my last one."

No. 2 seed Stanford (30-3) plays on its home floor today against 15th-seeded Cleveland State (19-13) in a first-round game in the Spokane Regional. Cal (26-6), the third seed in the Greensboro Regional, takes on 14th-seeded San Diego (19-12) earlier in the day at Maples Pavilion on the Stanford campus.

The Golden Bears, who only had to drive about an hour from nearby Berkeley, are seeking their first NCAA victory since 1993 and the second in school history.

"If we come out and showcase our talents, it's like, 'Hey, we have some teams out here on the West Coast,' " Cal forward Ashley Walker said. "This is something our program hasn't done. This group of girls has done so much for the program and it's something we want to accomplish."

Before Stanford and Cal can start thinking about traveling to Tampa, Fla., for the Final Four, both programs have more immediate hurdles to clear.

The Cardinal, riding an 18-game winning streak and fresh off its fifth Pac-10 tournament title, has failed to make it through the first weekend the last two times it has hosted — including a second-round loss to Florida State last March that still stings. This year marks the 10th anniversary of top-seeded Stanford's NCAA loss to No. 16 Harvard at home.

"It's been a fast year," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said from an interview podium at the arena. "My memory of this specific spot is not a good one, and we're going to try to change that — and have a great tournament here at Maples."

Cal, meanwhile, has said since before the season began that it believes it has the talent to at least get through two rounds and reach the regional.

"Win!" Cal coach Joanne Boyle said of what it would take to make an NCAA statement.

The Bears lost to Notre Dame 62-59 in the first round last year.

"Our first year, we didn't know if we were going to make the tournament and we made it," Cal guard Alexis Gray-Lawson said. "I think we were just happy to be there. Last year, I think we didn't come in focused. I think this year we broke all the barriers we possibly could break. For us, this is one of those things where we have to nip all of this in a bud."