Pac-10 women’s tournament: Stanford leads UCLA 36-19 at halftime

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With star center Jayne Appel back in the starting lineup after having been hobbled by a sprained right ankle, Stanford’s front line has done as it pleases in the first half against UCLA and leads the Bruins, 36-19, at halftime of the State Farm Pac-10 women’s tournament final at the Galen Center.

Appel has seven points and three rebounds, but Pac-10 player of the year Nnemkadi Ogwumike has a game-high 12 points on five-of-seven shooting from the floor with six rebounds.

The difference so far has been shooting. Top-seed and No. 2-ranked Stanford is 13 of 25 from the floor (52%) while second-seed and No. 23-ranked UCLA is eight of 23 (35%).

That difference has largely been due to Stanford’s match-up zone defense, which is forcing the Bruins into long shots from deep. And the Bruins haven’t connecting, going one of eight from beyond the arc.

Jasmine Dixon leads UCLA with 11 points. Only three Bruins have scored.

The winner of this game gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, though both teams are headed there anyway. Stanford, at 30-1, is considered a lock to be a top seed when the brackets are announced Monday. UCLA, at 24-7, isn’t guaranteed to make it, but it would be a shock if the Bruins didn’t.

-- Baxter Holmes