Victory Supplies Much-Needed Confidence

No one in the UC Irvine women’s basketball program is talking too tough this week. No 2-4 team should.

Still, there is a different attitude after a 69-67 victory over Stephen F. Austin Saturday night. Confidence, perhaps?

The Anteaters are not exactly living up to expectations this season. They were 32-24 the last two seasons and had 10 returning players, including three starters, back.

But two weeks ago the Anteaters whimpered home after a disappointing loss to Oregon State. They then took out Stephen F. Austin, a team that has been to nine consecutive NCAA tournaments.

“Basically, we wanted to win,” said point guard Megan Stafford, who had 27 points, six assists and five rebounds. “We know we’re a good team. We were able to show people that we’re a good team.”

Stephen F. Austin is not the power it has been. The Lumberjacks are not ranked and coming off back-to-back losses. Of course, they had lost to fifth-ranked Georgia and Pacific-10 power Arizona, two teams the Anteaters don’t mind being among.

“This is the second biggest win we have had in the five years I have been here,” said second-year coach Mark Adams, an assistant when the Anteaters beat perennial Big West Conference power UC Santa Barbara in 1997. “The kids really believe in themselves now. That’s as excited as I have seen this team in a couple years.

“After the game, a couple of them said that 1-5 just didn’t sound very good to them.”

Of course, 2-4 doesn’t exactly sing. But it may be a start. Irvine plays Arizona State Friday.

The victory gives a boost to the conference, which has few victories against nationally prominent teams.

Big West officials should throw a ticker-tape parade any time one of their teams--men’s or women’s--has such a victory. Big West women’s teams were 54-72 against other Division I teams last season; they are 39-41 thus far this season.

“We figured it was time for a win,” said center Chelsea Mackey, who had 15 points and eight rebounds. “Maybe we were focused and had more intensity. That’s something that comes and goes with us. Saturday, people were really, really focus. We hadn’t had a game like that in a while.”

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The easy answer for the Anteaters’ victory is Stafford, who had one of her best games. She made 11 of 15 shots, including three of six three-pointers.

Stafford saved the Anteaters, who led by as many as 12 points in the second half, after Stephen F. Austin took a 67-66 lead with 30 seconds left. She worked off a screen for a layup and was fouled.

“It was beautiful,” Mackey said. “Megan cuts down the middle, puts the shot in, goes to the line and makes it. Problem solved.”

But Mackey and Kirsten Cappel were also part of the equation.

The Anteaters held their own on the boards, which had been a glaring problem in Oregon. To go with Mackey’s performance, Cappel had 13 points and nine rebounds.

“Kirsten had one of her best games ever,” Adams said. “She had a lot of strong moves to the basket, which we want her to do more. Any time Kirsten and Chelsea show up on the same night, we’re going to be pretty good.”

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The trials and tribulations of Irvine center Stan Divranos continue.

He is already in Coach Pat Douglass’ doghouse--which might need a new wing because of overcrowding. Divranos had five fouls and one rebound in four minutes against Northern Arizona last week. It was his third disqualification this season.

On top of that, he’s also hurt again. Divranos did not make the trip to Tucson, where the Anteaters played Arizona Monday, because of a lower back injury. He had an MRI Friday and was scheduled to see the doctor Monday.

Divranos, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, already has had a broken left thumb and a dislocated right thumb this season.

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Junior forward Adam Stetson, who has not played this season because of a partially torn tendon in his left foot, made the trip to Arizona and did running and agility drills during practice.

“Best case scenario has me playing [against James Madison] Sunday,” said Stetson, who has not been cleared by doctors to practice. “I have to play. I’m tired of sitting.”

Douglass is equally eager to get the 6-6 Stetson back. Among other things, it will mean he can rotate two forward-size players at small forward--Stetson and 6-7 Ben Jones.

Right now, when Jones is tired or ineffective, Douglass has two choices. He can use 6-2 Brian Scoggin and 6-1 Jason Flowers--both walk-ons--at small forward. Or he can go with three freshmen guards, Jerry Green, Zamiro Bennem and Gabe Cagwin.

Stetson averaged 12 points to lead the team last season.