TONIGHT

MEN

UC Irvine (3-2) at No. 17 Stanford (5-3), 7, KUCI-FM (88.9) -- Cardinal Coach Mike Montgomery thinks his troops need “to go back to the basics” after they were defeated by Montana and Richmond earlier this week in their own tournament. It was the first time that Stanford has lost back-to-back nonconference home games in 21 years. Point guard Chris Hernandez, who broke a bone in his left foot in October, sat out Tuesday’s 83-69 loss to Richmond after attempting a two-game comeback. Irvine, which has been idle since Dec. 7, has not defeated the Cardinal in three tries, but the two haven’t met since 1991.

Loyola Marymount (5-4) at CS Northridge (5-2), 7, KXLU-FM (88.9) -- Northridge, which ends a three-game home stand, has won four in a row. Much-improved Loyola Marymount is playing everyone tough and is 2-2 against Big West Conference opponents after Monday’s 74-72 overtime loss at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Matador guard Curtis Slaughter, who averages 11.6 points and five rebounds, is a transfer from Loyola Marymount, where he started 26 games as a sophomore in the 1999-2000 season.

-- Paul McLeod

*

WOMEN

USC (4-4) at Southern Methodist (4-2), 5 PST -- The crushing losses to Connecticut and Tennessee are now in the Trojans’ rear-view mirror. USC’s struggling offense (55.2 points per game) hopes for a needed boost from junior guard Rometra Craig, finally eligible after sitting out a year following her transfer from Duke. The Mustangs ended a two-game losing streak Monday with a victory over North Texas. Junior guard Andrea Cossey (14.0) and junior forward Kim Walter (13.0) are the top scorers for SMU.

Baylor (8-1) at UCLA (4-3), Pauley Pavilion, 7, KBET (850) -- The Bruins have stumbled with consecutive setbacks to Georgia and Pepperdine after posting a four-game winning streak. But Coach Kathy Olivier remains committed, for now, to giving freshmen Nikki Blue, Julia Pitts and Lisa Willis plenty of playing time. “We’re going to be a young team,” Olivier said. Senior guard Michelle Greco is the top scorer among Pac-10 players (19.1 ppg), although her three-point field-goal percentage is an abysmal 22.7% (five of 22). Baylor’s only loss this season was to Montana State in a Thanksgiving holiday tournament, but the Bears don’t have the kind of nonconference wins to enter the Top 25. Sophomore forward Steffanie Blackmon averages 20.4 points for Baylor.

-- Mike Terry