One frosty night in 2006, a small group of reporters and
photographers gathered in the press room of McArthur Court in
Eugene, Ore., to meet Stanford guard Candice Wiggins.
The Cardinal standout was much smaller as a sophomore, smaller
in size and personality than the four-time All-American that ripped
through No. 1-seeded Connecticut in the national semifinals
Sunday.
One frosty night in 2006, a small group of reporters and photographers gathered in the press room of McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., to meet Stanford guard Candice Wiggins.
The Cardinal standout was much smaller as a sophomore, smaller in size and personality than the four-time All-American that ripped through No. 1-seeded Connecticut in the national semifinals Sunday.
She was coming off a breakout freshman year in which she earned her first of three Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year honors. She dropped a then career-high 37 points that night in a 76-64 victory over Oregon.
Wiggins was 14-for-21 shooting from the field and 5 of 6 from behind the arc. She pulled down seven rebounds, dished five assists and grabbed two steals – all in 39 minutes.
It was a vintage night, save for two turnovers. Then again, she was only a sophomore.
“Candice Wiggins took over that game,” Oregon guard Chelsea Wagner said afterward. “She’s not an All-American for no reason.”
Like the Ducks, Wiggins handled the media well. In a seven-inch voice, she credited the entire team, was honest, and didn’t sidestep any questions – not even those directed at a possible early entry into the WNBA Draft.
“It’s something I’ll consider when I feel ready for it,” she said. “Right now, I’m not.”
Still, pretty impressive numbers for you tonight.
“I could have done more,” she said. “I can always do more.”
Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer sat next to her the entire interview, smiling like a kid showing off her new bike. This was just the beginning.
I thought of how Wiggins carried herself that night as I watched her on TV Sunday at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.
This was the same player – now a senior – taking over another game on college basketball’s biggest stage. She torched UConn for 25 points, hitting 7 of 19 from the field including two 3-pointers that put the dogs out late in the second half. This was the work of a true craftsman of the game – one who shouldn’t be considered any less than the year’s best female player.
Wiggins started her scoring night with a cross-over drive to the hoop early in the opening minute, continued it with a turnaround 17-footer and ended it with a runner in the lane, helping to clinch the 82-73 final score.
The No. 2-seeded Cardinal became the first team to eclipse 80 points against the Huskies this season just as Wiggins became the first player to have two 40-point efforts in the same NCAA Tournament – she scored 44 and 41 versus Texas-El Paso and Maryland, respectively.
Connecticut beat Stanford by 12 points (66-54) earlier in the season when the two teams met in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“(Wiggins) was able to get her shot off pretty much any time she wanted,” said Huskies’ Renee Montgomery.
Wiggins showcased her full repertoire, tallying 13 boards and one huge steal late in the game. She broke up a back-door feed to freshman phenom Maya Moore with 6:34 remaining and the Huskies threatening to climb back in.
“… Our team really takes a game plan to heart,” VanDerveer said. “And they really worked hard at not allowing Connecticut to do the things that Connecticut does so well and is so good at. They love to run.”
Wiggins’ one mistake Sunday was a credit to her vision. She lobbed a cross-court pass that missed a wide-open Jayne Appel early in the first half.
When it was over, Stanford earned its first trip to the national title game in 16 years – while Wiggins returned to her sophomore self.
There was little emotion in her post-game celebration; none of the tears and hugs seen after the Cardinal beat Maryland to reach the Final Four last week; none of the loss for words; just a humble captain and her all-business teammates.
“The thing that’s driving this team is the fact we don’t want to stop playing with each other,” Wiggins said. “Me especially, this is my last time I’ll be able to play with this group.”
One game remains.
Wiggins will lace up in the national title game Tuesday against Tennessee, squaring off against another Candace (Parker) who’s been the face of the program that’s been the face of the sport the past two decades.
This is the “more” Wiggins was talking about in 2006.
