UP-AND-COMING: Appel calls Rutgers upset ‘a start.’ Marc Abrams/Stanford Athletics

“I can’t believe she’s a senior,” VanDerveer says. “She’s been fabulous to coach. I’m just going to enjoy every day, and give her a piece of my mind every day.”

Wiggins expects nothing less from the woman she’s admired for many years. While VanDerveer has had five Final Four appearances of her own, time’s running out for Wiggins to reach that far into the tournament. “It gives you so much optimism to know it’s your last year,” Wiggins notes.

Just last year, Stanford was in the spotlight for much of its season. Ranked No. 4 in the preseason, the Cardinal had its share of downs but came back for a 29-5 overall record and seventh straight Pac-10 title.

Things were looking good for Stanford to crack the Final Four for the first time since 1997. Instead, a 68-61 upset by Florida State in the second round left Stanford out in the cold at its own Maples Pavilion.

The disappointing finish left “a bad taste in a lot of our mouths,” VanDerveer says. The Cardinal started this season at No. 8 without any Final Four talk. “It’s an underdog mentality this year,” Wiggins agrees, “but that’s what I like.”

Helping Wiggins lead the way for a comeback is center/forward Jayne Appel. Last season’s Pac-10 Freshman of the Year has a lot of space to fill under the basket; both Brooke Smith and Kristen Newlin graduated in June. “Brooke and Kristen taught me a lot last year,” Appel says.

Already, Stanford is outpacing preseason expectations, with several appearances in the top five. A November 11 win over then-No. 3 Rutgers got the Cardinal moving up in the rankings.

It’s a challenging few months ahead, though. Beyond the face-off against last season’s national champion, Tennessee, on December 22, the Cardinal has a Pac- 10 schedule full of top-25 teams. Last year’s top conference competitor, Arizona State, is looking to avenge a 62-55 loss in the Pac-10 Tournament final, while a rapidly developing Cal squad is bringing back the Bay Area rivalry.

ON THE BALL: Junior guard Goods. David Gonzales/Stanford Athletics

Juniors like Anthony Goods and Mitch Johnson were just joining Stanford two years ago when the Cardinal wrapped up a 16-14 season without an NCAA tournament bid. This year’s sophomores, including Brook and Robin Lopez, came on board for last year’s turnaround—an 18-13 record and a spot in the NCAA tournament—but the upswing had just begun.

“We have a lot better sense now of what it takes, not just to win, but the day-in, day-out mentality for practice,” says junior guard Johnson. Despite signature upsets over UCLA and Washington State, the team was caught up in the whirlwind Pac-10, garnering a 10-8 record for sixth in the conference. Narrowly capturing the NCAA tourney bid, 11th-seeded Stanford faced disappointment again when the sixth-seeded Louisville Cardinals handily knocked out the squad, 78-58, in the first round.

If the season thus far is any indication, the Cardinal is ready to tackle the Pac-10. Stanford stumbled just once in nine November games, falling to Siena 79-67. And did it all without one of its biggest weapons: 7-foot sophomore Brook Lopez. On academic probation for fall quarter, the likely future NBA star kept up with practice, but sat on the bench for gametime. “He’s definitely serving his time,” Johnson says. “For anyone to go through practice, [weight] lifting, et cetera, and not play in the game is tough.”

Entering the Pac-10 season healthy and in full force should lead to better returns. Don’t expect the Cardinal to get cocky, though. “Last year, a lot of teams that you’d think weren’t going to be that good would come in here and beat you by 35,” Goods says. “Having everybody go through that will help us this year.”

Coach Trent Johnson hopes his team maintains that mentality—“realistic,” but ambitious. “A lot can happen these next few months. With some more growth—if we stay healthy, play together and share the ball—we’ve got a chance to do better.”

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