WOMEN’S BASKETBALL : Stanford Uses Long Ball to Take Bruins Out, 79-70

UCLA made a valiant run at Stanford’s 25-game home-court winning streak but was overcome in the stretch by a barrage of three-point baskets and lost to the Cardinal, 79-70, Thursday night before 3,292 in Maples Pavilion.

The Bruins led for most of the game and had a seven-point lead with 11:49 to play.

But Stanford’s MVP from its 1992 national championship team, Molly Goodenbour, made four three-pointers in a six-minute stretch in the final minutes. The No. 3-ranked Cardinal improved to 4-1 in the Pacific 10 Conference, 13-3 overall.

UCLA is 3-2 in conference, 8-6 overall, and plays at California on Saturday night.

Tara VanDerveer, Stanford coach, seemed happy with her team’s victory, coming two days after a 67-55 loss at USC.

“This was a great, up-tempo game for us,” VanDerveer said. “We got our transition game going tonight, and Val (Whiting) did a great job on Natalie (Williams).”

Williams, the UCLA All-American center who is averaging 24.7 points, was held by Whiting and Rachel Hemmer to 12 points. Williams took only 15 shots.

UCLA led for most of the first half and seemed in command when three consecutive baskets by Michelle Palmisano and Detra Lockhart gave the Bruins a 56-49 lead with 11:49 to play.

But then Goodenbour, the 5-6 senior guard from Waterloo, Iowa, took charge, giving the Cardinal the lead, 75,65, with her last three-pointer with 2:57 to play.

Whiting had 28 points, seven rebounds and five steals.