STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- Arizona forced Stanford to work harder than expected. The Cardinal still came out on top, and clinched a share of the Pac-10 championship.
Jeanette Pohlen scored a career-high 21 points, including two free throws in the final seconds, as No. 2 Stanford held on to defeat Arizona 70-67 on Thursday night.
"It's not a two-team league or even a three-team league," Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer said. "If you don't come out ready, you're in trouble."
Stanford (25-4, 16-1), which secured the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, has either won outright or shared the Pac-10 regular-season title for nine straight seasons. The Cardinal can win the crown outright Saturday with a victory over second-place Arizona State.
Stanford, which got 16 points from Kayla Pedersen, beat Arizona (11-17, 4-13) for the 12th time and won its 28th consecutive game at Maples Pavilion. But this win was arguably the toughest of those 12 straight wins.
"To have the No. 2 team in the country on the ropes," Arizona coach Niya Butts said. "We're happy that we gave them a game. ... I'm proud of the way we played. I'm not into moral victories, but I'm proud."
Arizona sophomore forward Ify Ibekwe, the Wildcats' leading scorer and rebounder, returned to action after missing two games with a knee injury and finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Reiko Thomas added 14 points for Arizona.
"I think we were just so excited to play such a highly ranked team," Thomas said. "Overall, we were just so energetic. It helped us keep going."
With Ibekwe and Amina Njonkou leading the way, Arizona went on a 15-4 run, cutting Stanford's lead to 65-64 with 1:36 left to play.
"They got a lot of momentum," VanDerveer said. "Basketball is a game of spurts. It kind of looked like we had it in hand. ... Maybe we thought we had it won and they didn't. Again, it was a good lesson."
Jayne Appel's rebound basket jumped Stanford's lead to 67-64 with 50 seconds remaining. After Arizona's Thomas missed from inside, Pohlen rebounded and was fouled, but she missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Moments later, Pedersen blocked Ibekwe's shot, grabbed the ball and was fouled with 16 seconds left. She made one of two free throws, putting Stanford up 68-64. Courtney Clements drained a 3-pointer with 5 seconds left, slicing the lead to 68-67, and the Wildcats quickly fouled Pohlen.
This time, Pohlen hit both free throws, and Ashley Frazier's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was off target.
Stanford struggled in the first half, but built a 35-29 lead behind three 3-pointers by Pohlen.
In the second half, Stanford continued to hurt the Wildcats from long range, as the Wildcats continued to double- and sometimes triple-team Appel. Pohlen made two more 3-pointers in the second half, giving her a career-high five, and Pedersen sank two from long range.
"Jayne gets a lot of attention," Pohlen said. "If they're going to double her, she's probably one of the best passers on the team. When they were in the zone, we had a lot of open looks. I was feeling it tonight, for sure, but none of that happens if they don't double Jayne."
Pohlen missed the previous game against USC after getting hit in eye against UCLA. But the time off certainly didn't hurt her shooting.
Pohlen's 3-pointer put Stanford ahead 47-36 with 15:18 to play. Another 3 by Pohlen gave the Cardinal a 61-49 lead, but the Wildcats refused to quit.
Appel scored just 11 points, but blocked a shot to set the Stanford mark with 202, passing Val Whiting.
"I think we play better when we're uncomfortable," Appel said. "I think it definitely checks us, heading into the tournament."
Notes
- With Thursday's victory, Stanford now leads the all-time series against Arizona, 49-12, and has now won 12 straight against the Wildcats
- Thursday's victory extended Stanford's season-best winning streak to 12 games
- With Thursday's win, Stanford clinched at least a share of its ninth straight Pac-10 regular-season title, and 18th overall
- Thursday's victory over Arizona also clinched the Pac-10 Tournament's No. 1 seed for Stanford. The Cardinal has now been the top seed in the tournament in all eight editions
- Jayne Appel blocked a shot Thursday to become Stanford's all-time leader in blocked shots with 202, passing Val Whiting's old record of 201
- Jeanette Pohlen recorded career highs Thursday with 21 points and five three-pointers. Her previous highs in those categories were 20 points on Dec. 30, 2007 against Washington, and four three-pointers, accomplished seven times, most recently at Washington on Feb. 8, 2009
- Thursday's 70-67 win was Stanford's first single-digit home victory since a 73-69 overtime win against Tennessee on Dec. 22, 2008. Tonight's game broke a streak of 23 straight double-digit home victories
- Jeanette Pohlen's 21-point performance was the first this season by a Cardinal player not named Jayne Appel or Kayla Pedersen
- The 21 points from Jeanette Pohlen extended Stanford's streak of 20-point games from at least one player to a season-high three games
- The eight players used by Stanford in Thursday's game was the least amount since its 57-54 loss at California on Jan. 18
- Jayne Appel's nine points increased her career total to 1,456, passing Virginia Sourlis for 13th on Stanford's all-time scoring list
- Jillian Harmon scored nine points Thursday, increasing her career total to 1,020, passing Angie Paccione for 27th on Stanford's all-time scoring list