USC Falls to Stanford

Nicole Powell had 22 points and 16 rebounds as ninth-ranked Stanford defeated USC, 63-55, Thursday night at Maples Pavilion.

Powell was two assists shy of recording the seventh triple-double of her career as the Cardinal (21-3, 13-2 Pacific 10) won its 24th consecutive game at home.

Rometra Craig scored 14 points for the Trojans (12-14, 7-8), who lost their second consecutive game after winning six of their previous seven. Rachel Woodward scored 11 points.

Chelsea Trotter scored 12 points and T’Nae Thiel had 11 for Stanford.

Powell had the 27th double-double of her career and her seventh in 14 games this season.

Woodward gave USC a 33-30 lead with a short jumper with 17:40 left to play. Susan King tied it a little over a minute later with a three-pointer, and Powell made a three-point shot to put Stanford up, 36-33, with 14:53 remaining.

The Cardinal eventually built a 47-37 lead but survived a couple of USC rallies to hang on for the victory.

Powell recorded six points, six rebounds and four assists during the first seven minutes of the second half to help the Cardinal take the lead.

UCLA 72, California 54 -- Michelle Greco had 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting for the Bruins (15-9, 10-5 Pac-10) at Berkeley.

Greco, the leading scorer in the conference, scored 15 points in the first half as the Bruins pulled away from Cal (8-16, 4-11).

The win tied UCLA with Arizona for third place in the Pac-10.

Timea Ivanyi topped the Bears with 11 points, and Nihan Anaz and Leigh Gregory each had 10.

Nikki Blue had 10 points for UCLA.

Natalie Nakase took on an unfamiliar role for UCLA in the first half, scoring nine points -- her season high -- in the first 11:18. The 5-2 point guard’s three-pointer with 8:42 left gave the Bruins a 24-17 lead, which they extended to nine at halftime.