1. Elitists again?

The two-seed Cardinal will attempt to break its three-year streak of Elite Eight losses, including last year’s 62-59 heartbreaker against Louisiana State. Stanford last reached the Final Four in 1997, when it was defeated by Old Dominion (a possible second-round match for the Cardinal), 83-82 in overtime.

2. Wiggins’ Will

Candice Wiggins may have been out at the end of the regular season, but she sure hasn’t stopped. Having broken out again with dominating performances at the Pac-10 Tournament (where she averaged 21.7 points per game and took home MVP honors), the junior guard is looking to make this “the year” in the NCAAs. Candice Wiggins may have been out at the end of the regular season, but she sure hasn’t stopped. Having broken out again with dominating performances at the Pac-10 Tournament (where she averaged 21.7 points per game and took home MVP honors), the junior guard is looking to make this “the year” in the NCAAs.

3. Senior Spurt

Brooke Smith, Kristen Newlin, Clare Bodensteiner and Markisha Coleman all realize the pressure they face in keeping their years going. Smith (13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds per game) and Newlin (7.9 rebounds) in particular will prove crucial in the post as Stanford’s “bigs.”

4. Home Cooking

Maples Pavilion has always been a Cardinal stronghold, and with seven other teams visiting the Farm this weekend — and the regional nearby in Fresno — Stanford looks to serve up victories before going to Cleveland.

5. Familiar Faces...and New

LSU returns as a three-seed in the Fresno regional (albeit amid controversy over head coach Pokey Chatman’s resignation and possible sex scandal), while the Connecticut Huskies are on the prowl as the one-seed.