COLLEGE BASKETBALL: A key stretch of games

Next three outings for Stanford men, women are important

by Keith Peters

The next three games for the Stanford men's and women's basketball teams could have a considerable impact on the remainder of the season. For the nationally No. 6-ranked Stanford women (8-1, 12-5), a win over California tonight (7:30 p.m.) in Maples Pavilion will give them plenty of momentum heading into next week's home games against UCLA and USC.

Should Stanford sweep the Bruins and Trojans, they'll take an 11-1 mark and nine-game winning streak into the final six games of the Pac-10 season.

Helping the Cardinal in the stretch drive for a possible fourth straight conference crown will be senior forward Kristin Folkl, who leads the team in scoring (18.8) and rebounding (9.5). Folkl will miss tonight's game with two fractures in her right hand.

Folkl fractured the tip of her right pinkie and slightly fractured the mid-joint of her right ring finger during last Sunday's win over Texas Tech.

"It feels good," Folkl said Tuesday, after seeing a hand specialist Tuesday. "I was a little anxious going to the see the doctor, but it was probably the best prognosis that it could possibly be."

While the Stanford women await Folkl's return, the Cardinal men hit the road to face No. 7 Connecticut on Saturday in a nationally televised game (CBS-5). Then it's back home for a few days before departing for Los Angeles to face USC and No. 6 UCLA.

The ninth-ranked Cardinal (8-2, 19-2) ended its two-game losing streak Wednesday with a 74-72 win over California at the New Arena in Oakland. "Because of out situation--going to Connecticut and UCLA--this was a huge win," said Stanford coach Mike Montgomery. "We needed to get some confidence."

Junior guard Arthur Lee helped provide that by nailing a three-pointer with a minute to play to put Stanford on top for good. Lee scored nine of his 17 points in the final 2:12, including a rare four-point play (fouled on a three-pointer) and sinking two late free throws.

Tim Young added 17 points and dominated the boards with 15 rebounds, and Kris Weems tallied 16 points, 11 coming in the second half to rally the Cardinal from a 36-31 deficit.

"At halftime," Montgomery said, "I told them there was nothing I could do for them on the (chalk)board with Xs and Os. It was up to them."

Stanford responded, making all six of its three-pointers in the second half and connecting on seven of eight free-throw attempts in the final 41 seconds.

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