January 07, 2005

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Palo Alto Online

Get tough on the road is the goal

by Rick Eymer

Kristen Newlin didn't make the trip through Arizona last year but she heard all about it. She hopes the Stanford women's basketball team can be a little more successful this year.

"We have to be ready to play," Newlin said after posting her second career double-double in Stanford's 74-61 victory over visiting Washington on Tuesday. "We have to go in with the mentality that we can win. Not only do we have to be physically tough, we have to be mentally tough."

Eighth-ranked Stanford (3-1, 11-2) plays at Arizona State (2-1, 11-3) today at 6:30 p.m., and then travels to Arizona (2-1, 10-4) for a 1:30 p.m. game on Sunday. The Sun Devils handed Stanford its worst loss of the season last year, 73-53, and held the Cardinal to their second-lowest point total.

"We need to be road warriors," said Newlin, who missed last year's trip with a strained right knee. "It's a key game and we have to have the mindset set that it's like a home game for us. We have to be more pumped up."

Stanford also lost at Arizona, making it the only time all year the Cardinal lost two in a row. Newlin had a tough time with Wildcat center Shawntinice Polk, who she lists as the toughest player she has faced in college.

Based on her performance against the Huskies, things could be different this year. Newlin had 12 points and 10 rebounds in two games against Washington last year. On Tuesday, she produced 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Junior Brooke Smith recorded her first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against the Huskies. She had 19 points against Washington State.

"I just made up my mind to battle," Newlin said. "They're a physical team. Brooke played really well too. We're playing tag team."

Newlin and Smith combined to shoot 50 percent (11-of-22) from the field, while the rest of the team combined to shoot 27 percent (12-of-45). The Cardinal shot less than 35 percent for just the second time this season.

"We want to go inside," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "Brooke and New; that's where our wagon is hitched up to, they're pulling it. I need to be playing them together."

Inside play will be important against both the Sun Devils and Arizona. In 54 minutes against the two schools last year, Newlin was limited to eight points and 10 rebounds.

"Teams like to play at home," VanDerveer said. "We have to understand how hard you have to play. Arizona State is extremely physical. We're going to have to take care of the ball and make good plays."

Home has been kind to the Cardinal. Tuesday's victory was their 30th consecutive at home in conference play. Stanford has won 31 of its past 33 home games overall, and has won 90 percent of its home games under coach Tara VanDerveer.

After the first two weeks of the conference season, only UCLA (3-0) remains unbeaten. Stanford is second, with Arizona, Arizona State and USC all at 2-1. Every Pac-10 team has at least two wins with the exception of winless Oregon State and Washington State.

"In the Pac-10 there seems to be a strong home court kind of thing," VanDerveer said. "It's how hard people play. We take pride that this is our house."

Newlin was particularly effective, coming off the bench to help spark an early run that erased an early deficit.

The 61 points allowed were the most in a victory this season, though Stanford still held the Huskies below their season average of 65.2. The Cardinal scored at least 70 points for the ninth time, and leads the Pac-10 in scoring offense.

Stanford also leads the conference in rebounding margin at a plus 9.5 per game. That strength came in handy against a pesky Washington team which turned the contest into a ragged affair.

With neither team shooting well, Stanford won the battle of second chance points by an 18-7 margin, and held a 24-18 edge in the paint. Newlin and Smith were the key players in both categories. They helped the Cardinal gain a 56-44 rebounding edge.

"We count on the inside game," VanDerveer said. "There was a lot of traffic down there but Kristen had a good game. Brooke was struggling early and New came in and did a nice job. She was really string in there."

Candice Wiggins added 15 points but made just three of 11 shots. Kelley Suminski also struggled, hitting one of seven shots.

"We're struggling from the perimeter," VanDerveer said. "Susan (Borchardt) coming back helps us with that. We have to look at our shot selection from the perimeter, especially the 3's."

The Cardinal are a combined 8-of-34 (.235) from long range in their past two games. Krista Rappahahn has hit two 3-pointers in each of the past three games and is shooting .375 during that span.

In men's basketball, it already has been a frustrating season for Stanford, and it got even more so when the Cardinal learned Tim Morris is academically ineligible for the winter quarter.

Stanford (0-2, 6-6 entering play on Thursday night) is down to 10 healthy players, nine on scholarship, as it prepares for Saturday's noon game against visiting Arizona.

"The frustration for me goes back to the start of the season with Chris (Hernandez) and Matt (Haryasz) being unhealthy for practice," Stanford coach Trent Johnson said. "I'd like to see Chris get through one season completely healthy."

Hernandez has been dealing with back problems the past two years, and missed a season with a broken foot.

Depth has suddenly become a concern for the Cardinal. The starters played heavy minutes through the early part of the season. Reserves like Morris, Jason Haas, Fred Washington, Taj Finger and Peter Prowitt were just beginning to get more playing time. Now they will be forced into action.

"Fred always wants to play," Johnson said. "Now some guys will have an opportunity. Fred and Jason will have to play more minutes. My biggest concern now is health."

Another concern is getting to the free throw line. After 12 games, Stanford is 177-of-237 from the foul line. Its opponents are 180-of-248. Last year after 12 games, Stanford was 207-of-280, while opponents were 129-of-172.

"We try to get the ball inside and got to the rim," Johnson said. "If we play harder and smarter, things will take care of themselves. We have to continue to work with a sense of urgency."

Following last year's success, Johnson knew expectations would be a little higher this year, despite the transition to a new coach and new roles for the players.

When Mike Montgomery took over from Tom Davis in 1986, expectations were a little different. Montgomery's 15-13 finish (9-9 in the Pac-10) that year was praised, even with players like Todd Litchi, who played in the NBA, and Howard Wright.

Montgomery was 7-5 after his first 12 games with Stanford.

"I knew for a fact it was going to be tough," Johnson said. "There's so much parity you're not going to sneak up on anyone."

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