STINGRAYS TODAY

Opponent--Columbus Quest.

Time--4 p.m.

Records--Long Beach 8-7, Columbus 12-3.

Site--Pyramid, Long Beach State.

Update--Long Beach, reeling from its most dismal performance yet--an 85-61 loss at Seattle Friday--takes on perhaps the ABL’s best team. Lacking a true center, the Quest employed a passing-game offense to win the league championship last season and is doing it again this season, even after losing league MVP Nikki McCray to the WNBA. The StingRays have been distinctly unsuccessful against the Quest so far, losing, 98-72, in Long Beach in the season’s fifth game, then in Columbus, 85-71, early this month. Columbus’ Katie Smith and Tonya Edwards combined for 38 points against Long Beach in the previous meeting, and Valerie Still had 10 rebounds. After today, next up for the StingRays at the Pyramid is Western Conference leader Portland (12-5) on Wednesday night.