TODAY

WOMEN

UCLA (15-9, 10-5) at No. 9 Stanford (21-3, 13-2), noon, Fox Sports Net, KBET (850), KTDD (1350) -- Stanford’s win over USC, coupled with Washington’s upset loss at Oregon, clinched a tie for the regular-season Pacific 10 championship for the Cardinal. UCLA is tied with Arizona for third. The Bruins are trying to end a losing streak to Stanford at six.. Michelle Greco, the conference scoring leader at 19.1 points per game, is one of 12 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to the top point guard in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.

USC (12-14, 7-8) at Cal (8-16, 4-11), noon -- After a nice run of six wins in seven games, USC has gone backward. Thursday’s loss to Stanford was the second in a row for the Trojans, who need a .500 overall record to have any chance at a postseason tournament beyond the Pac-10 Conference event. USC has won its last four meetings against Cal.

-- Mike Terry

MEN

Cal State Northridge (10-13, 4-9) at Long Beach State (5-18, 4-10), 5 p.m., KCSN-FM (88.5) -- The quiet departure of Northridge reserve Justice Graham opened the door for Sergei Lepiashinski, who has averaged 15 minutes and 5.5 points in two games since surrendering redshirt status. Graham, the second player lost by Northridge this season, averaged 12 minutes and 4.8 points. A Long Beach win victory would relegate Northridge, which has lost five of its last six games, to the Big West cellar for the time being.

Loyola Marymount (10-16, 4-7) at Pepperdine (13-11, 5-6), 6 p.m., Fox Sports Net 2, KPLS (830), KXLU-FM (88.9) -- With three games left in the West Coast Conference regular season, each team is fighting to finish among the top four and secure a first-round bye in the conference tournament. Pepperdine Coach Paul Westphal was livid about his team’s lethargic effort in a 73-61 loss at Santa Clara on Sunday, three days after the Waves had upset San Diego. Poor interior play has resulted in the reliance of injury-riddled Pepperdine almost exclusively on its perimeter game. Sophomore guard Terrance Johnson averaged 20.5 points in two games last week and leads the Waves with 61 three-point field goals, second among WCC players. Loyola had won three in a row before shooting only 31% in a 73-51 loss at San Diego on Saturday. Freshman guard Brandon Worthy leads the Lions with a 11.5 scoring average.

Utah State (19-6, 10-4) at UC Riverside (5-14, 4-9), 7 p.m., KPRO(1570), KUCR-FM (88.3) -- After a one-point loss to visiting Irvine on Feb. 13, the Aggies went “back to the basics” in practice according to Coach Stew Merrill, who had been openly critical of his team’s spotty defensive work. “The kids bought into it,” Merrill said. Thursday’s 62-41 victory at Fullerton marked the fewest points allowed by the Aggies this season. They have won four of their last five road games. Riverside has lost six of its last eight games overall. Highlander Coach John Masi shook up his starting lineup during Thursday’s 68-64 loss to visiting Idaho by benching the team’s leader scorer, freshman Nate Carter.

Idaho (11-12, 7-7) at Cal State Fullerton (7-16, 5-8), 7 p.m., KWRM (1370) -- Fullerton Coach Donny Daniels lashed out at his team after Thursday’s lackluster performance in a 62-41 loss to visiting Utah State, calling players “soft.” Said Daniels: “We are not a good team, and I am not that good of a coach for us to just show up and think we can get something done.” Fullerton was outrebounded, 37-22, and surrendered many easy layups. Idaho, which beat visiting Fullerton, 56-49, on Jan. 23, has won five of its last eight games, including two of three on the road.

Pacific (11-11, 6-7) at UC Irvine (16-7, 10-4), 7 p.m., KUCI-FM (88.9) -- The status of starters Demetrius Jackson and Christian Maraker is unclear for Pacific, which has lost four straight. Jackson, the Tigers’ leading scorer, has a bad back and came off the bench to play only eight minutes and did not score in Wednesday’s 70-61 loss to Long Beach State. Maraker is a candidate for freshman of the year. But he has been bothered by a bad heel and did not play Wednesday for the Tigers, who blew a 15-point first-half lead.

Detroit Mercy (13-11) at UC Santa Barbara (13-11), 8 p.m., KDOC (56), KEYT (1250) -- Santa Barbara was chosen to be host of this game as part of ESPN’s made-for-television Bracket Buster Saturday. It features nine games and 18 teams from mid-major conferences. Santa Barbara has won eight of its last 10 games overall but is coming off a 66-63 loss Thursday at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo that dropped the Gauchos into a three-way tie with UC Irvine and Utah State for first place in the Big West Conference. The teams’ only previous meeting came last season when the Gauchos beat Detroit, 86-59, at the Santa Clara Cable Car Classic.

-- Paul McLeod and Rob Fernas