Numbers add up to greatness

Stanford is all about numbers.

The Cardinal have been to 22 NCAA women’s basketball tournaments, including the last 21.

The Spokane Regional marks the 14th Sweet 16.

If second-seeded Stanford (32-3) beats sixth-seeded Pittsburgh (24-10) tonight in the Arena it moves on to the Elite Eight for the 11th time.

With a win on Monday in the regional final, it would give the Cardinal a sixth trip to the Final Four and a shot at a third NCAA Championship.

How has Stanford done it?

“It starts at the top,” said June Daugherty, who just finished her first year at Washington State after 11 seasons at Washington. “When you have a Hall of Fame coach like Tara VanDerveer and a system she has been able to do for so many years at a high level, you have success.”

Since VanDerveer was hired 22 years ago Stanford has gone 569-136 and won 16 Pac-10 titles.

But there has not been a trip to the Final Four in the last 10 seasons, although this year could be different.

“They’re so balanced, and Candice Wiggins is Candice,” Daugherty said. “She can get 44 points or she could get 44 assists. She’s a competitor and does what it takes to win.

“She has great kids around her. (Jayne) Appel is playing unbelievable right now. (Kayla) Pedersen, what a gifted freshman.”

Wiggins, a 5-foot-11½ senior guard, scored 44 points in Stanford’s last game, an 88-54 romp past UTEP, matching the school record with the third-highest total in NCAA tournament history. While boosting her season average to 19.8 points she dished off eight assists.

In that game Appel, a 6-4 sophomore forward, hit all nine of her shots and scored 20 points. In an opening-round demolition of Cleveland State she had a career-high 33 points.

Petersen chips in a steady 12.6 points and 8.3 rebounds, numbers that haven’t deviated much from her debut of 15 points and nine rebounds 35 games ago.

“Something real special is going on,” Daugherty said. “You know when they won the Pac-10 tournament (three wins by 23, 33 and 21 points). They’re a team that’s playing exceptionally, exceptionally well. They’re loose, having fun, and at the same time executing at an extremely high level.

“Match that with the straw that stirs the drink, Candice Parker. She’s on a mission. She’s a senior. She wants to bring a championship back to the West Coast.”

But Pittsburgh won’t be a cakewalk.

The Panthers tied for fifth place in the Big East Conference and are one of five conference teams (out of eight), still alive in this tournament. Four more teams went to the WNIT.

Stanford is more than tradition and the three statistical leaders.

Stanford, with 10 players getting at least 10 minutes a game, scores 75.1 points and allows 54.1, numbers a little better than Pitt’s.

“They play great defense,” Daugherty said. “They’re not a team that will get out and pressure you, but they can contain. They’ll get out and run on you and they have the depth to do it.”