Stanford Women Defeat UCLA

Stanford learned first hand Friday what the rest of Pac-10 already discovered -- that UCLA is a better team this season.

The fifth-ranked Cardinal needed a last second shot by Nicole Powell to hold off the upset bid of UCLA, squeezing out an 80-78 victory in front of 2,304 at Pauley Pavilion.

Bruin guard Michelle Greco, who led all scorers with 28, tied the score at 78 with two free throws with 27.3 seconds left.

Stanford, 15-1 overall and 7-0 in the Pac-10, put the game in Powell’s hands. She stayed at the top of key until eight seconds remained, then drove past UCLA defender Whitney Jones and made a six-footer in the lane with 2.3 seconds left.

Greco tried to get off a half-court shot but fired it after the buzzer sounded. UCLA is 11-6, 6-2.

Mike Terry

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In other women’s games:

St. Louis 73, No. 25 DePaul 71 -- Harmonie King’s layup with seven seconds remaining lifted host St. Louis (11-8, 2-2 in Conference USA). Charlene Smith, who led DePaul (14-5, 3-1) with 19 points, missed the final shot of the game.

USC 83, California 62 -- Rachel Woodward scored 19 points to help the Trojans (8-11, 3-5 in Pac-10) win at the Sports Arena. USC took control with a 19-0 run in the second half.

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Western New Mexico is investigating a complaint that its men’s basketball coach used a racial slur toward black players on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. David Harris said Coach Joe Mondragon used the slur on the team bus after a loss at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo., on Monday night. Harris has quit the team.

Other black players signed a statement saying they won’t play if the school doesn’t fire Mondragon, Harris said.