Stanford's Candice Wiggins thrilled to finally reach Final Four as a senior

4/5/2008 2:29 PM

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Candice Wiggins sat in the stands at the Final Four a year ago watching with Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, knowing she ought to be on the floor instead of in street clothes.

Stanford's star guard and her coach hardly had to say a word: Both made it perfectly clear they planned to return before the end of Wiggins' stellar career for the Cardinal.

``It was really painful because we had to figure out what we were going to do, 'This isn't going to happen next year,''' Wiggins recalled. ``We made that commitment there.''

Now Wiggins has her team riding a 22-game winning streak heading into a semifinal matchup with Connecticut on Sunday. The All-American's 28.0 scoring average is tops in the tournament, and the Pac-10's career scoring leader has gone off for 40 or more points in two of her last three games. She's the only player in tournament history with two 40-point games.

Wiggins will have some extra motivation considering UConn (36-1) beat Stanford (34-3) by 12 points on Nov. 22 in the Virgin Islands.

On Saturday, Wiggins beamed as she climbed up to the podium for a press conference - fresh off hearing the news she'd won the Wade Trophy, a player of the year award.

``I think the craziest part is just looking at those signs up there and seeing the Stanford 'S,''' Wiggins said. ``I've come to Final Fours, but I've been on the outside looking in. Now, to be on the inside, that is what is different and so much fun. People are going to see our team play. That's the best part of it.''

Wiggins enjoyed herself during Saturday's practice in the St. Pete Times Forum, where the Stanford band blared courtside and hundreds of fans were on hand to catch a glimpse of the team.

She sprinted through drills, making hard cuts and drives with not a defender in sight. Once she got accustomed to the rims, she knocked down several 3-pointers in a row - high-fiving teammates at every opportunity.

``She really has put her team on her back to get here. She's just really a special person,'' VanDerveer said. ``She's so honest with her emotions. That seems to be a big part of what makes us oh so special is that she shows her emotion and she shows it so honestly. I'm really happy for her.''

The Cardinal rode Wiggins to their first Final Four in 11 years and are the first West Coast team to advance this far since then.

A handful of former Stanford stars from the 1990s were in the stands to watch practice - with more on their way to Florida. They are all rooting for Wiggins and Co.

``Arguably the best player ever to put on a Stanford uniform deserves this,'' said Charmin Smith, now an assistant coach at Bay Area rival California. ``Probably not even arguably.''

Getting to the Final Four has been the only thing missing for Wiggins, a three-time Pac-10 Player of the Year. The second-seeded Cardinal have dominated teams in their run through the NCAA tournament.

Wiggins scored 44 points in a second-round win over UTEP for the third-highest total in women's tournament history, then added 41 in Monday night's 98-87 victory against top-seeded Maryland. She hit a big shot every time the Terrapins threatened.

``She's been incredible,'' teammate Jillian Harmon said.

On Wednesday, Wiggins should be a top-five pick and the first guard chosen in the WNBA draft and move on from her spectacular college career.

She's not ready for that moment. She's got two more wins on her mind.

``I wouldn't want to be on any other team in the country to share this experience with,'' Wiggins said. ``It's overwhelming and it almost brings me to tears. I don't want to cry again. It's phenomenal. It's the best feeling I've experienced in my life.''