The Stanford basketball teams found joint victories last night as both the Cardinal men and women defeated Oregon by the score of 72-43. The women played away at “The Pit” — Oregon’s fabled MacArthur Court — and rolled into their ninth consecutive win.

Freshman forward Kayla Pedersen told KZSU that the win came as a result of cohesive team efforts at both ends of the floor.

“We had great momentum and we played really well as a team,” Pedersen said. “I think our confidence level [made the offensive difference]. We’re shooting more in practice now. People hit threes at Santa Clara, and the confidence just rolled into this game.”

Roll they did: No. 6 Stanford (21-3, 10-2 Pac-10) held Oregon (10-13, 4-8 Pac-10) to just 2 points in the first 10 minutes of play. The Cardinal absolutely dominated the first half of play, outscoring the Ducks, 46-12.

Senior guard Candice Wiggins said that the team’s newfound defensive fervor has been one of the aspects of Stanford’s collective play that has begun to click in the last few games.

“It was a great defensive effort tonight, especially the first half,” Wiggins said. “I think we stayed focused, and the feeling on defense was great. We’re not necessarily known for our aggressive defense, but I think tonight we showed that we can be a great defensive team.”

Although the Ducks started with the game’s first points, the Cardinal responded with a 23-0 run, posting 46 points by the end of the half. Oregon responded, barreling out on a 13-4 run after intermission, but a tip-in from Wiggins at 15:49 halted any further drive from the Ducks. These points in the paint accounted for just two of Wiggins’ game-high 25, complementing her eight rebounds.

Meanwhile, Oregon’s leading scorer, sophomore guard Lilley Taylor, who averages 13.5 ppg, went only 2-7 from the field, forcing center Nicole Canepa to produce well above her 4.7 ppg average inside. Canepa finished with 12 points.

Canepa alone, however, was no match for Stanford’s dominant post duo of Pedersen and sophomore center Jayne Appel. Pedersen’s 17 points and 6 rebounds were bettered only by Appel’s 14 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Wiggins said the two were difference-makers not only in their own play but also in forcing the defense into mismatches, thereby opening the floor for their teammates.

“The bigs were absolutely our biggest advantage tonight,” she said. “It’s hard [for a team] to focus on one player when you’ve got all these great players playing with you. It really helps just having them in there . . . [the opposition] looks at them before they look at me.”

With seven players contributing to the Stanford scoreboard, Wiggins highlighted that the growing faith the Stanford players have in one another helps to elevate the level of play.

“I think we got a lot of momentum from tonight because we have great things to build on and we’re realizing that we’re getting better and better,” she said. “We’re gaining confidence and trusting each other. It’s just exciting. Especially as a senior, it’s just something you don’t want to end.”

Luckily for Wiggins, this streak shouldn’t end too soon. Not surprisingly, the Cardinal is favored in Saturday’s 7 p.m. meeting with the Oregon State Beavers (10-13, 3-9 Pac-10). While the Beavers hung close to No. 9 California in a 56-45 defeat last night, Oregon State remains eighth in the conference. In the Jan. 10 meeting between the Cardinal and the Beavers, Wiggins was held to just 4 points but Appel stepped up in the post, registering 25.

Pedersen said the team is very conscious of the importance of every Pac-10 win as it battles Cal for the conference crown.

“We’re taking it game by game, and we know that we can’t lose,” she said.

Wiggins agreed, adding that a win on Saturday will come because of preparation through focus and familiarity with the Beavers.

“[To win] we just have to follow our game plan and know the personnel of Oregon State,” Wiggins commented. “They’ve got great perimeter players, some very athletic posts . . . So the keys are just knowing them and going out there like we did today.”