Hoosiers to play Stanford tonight

The season couldn't get too much more difficult for the women's basketball team after tonight.\nThe Hoosiers open the regular season against No. 9 Stanford in the Stanford Tournament 8 p.m. today in Palo Alto, Calif. IU (20-11, 9-7 Big Ten last season) didn't schedule a game against a higher ranked team for this season.\n"I think we're playing, probably, one of the best tournaments in the country this opening weekend and we're really excited about it, and we'll be able to definitely see where we're at," coach Kathi Bennett said. "I've watched two tapes on Stanford and I think they are one of the best teams I've seen. They are the real deal."\nAfter testing the Cardinals, the Hoosiers will face either Western Kentucky, who eliminated IU from last season's WNIT tournament, or UC Santa Barbara, who went 22-8 last season after qualifying for the NCAA tournament.\nIU split its two preseason games with an 84-83 loss to the Reebok Lady Stars and an 89-72 rout of the Premier All-Stars -- two touring teams composed of former college standouts and WNBA players.\nIn its preseason, Stanford (19-11, 12-6 Pac-10 last season) knocked off a Hungarian team 106-59 on the strength of Lindsey Yamasaki's 22 points. The Cardinals also squashed Love and Basketball 98-49. \nWith three returning starters, including Naismith College Women's Basketball Player of the Year candidate Nicole Powell, Stanford is aiming for its 15th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and 11th Pac-10 title.\n"They can run and be exciting in the open court, and then be very disciplined and spread you out," Bennett said. "They all can get to the rim, but they all can shoot the three."\nStanford doesn't start anyone shorter than 5-11. Center Cori Enghusen towers at 6-7. "This is a go-for-it year," said Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer. "We've got great personnel, great depth and great experience -- everything you need to have a shot at both regular- and post-season success. We need to have high expectations and work very hard to accomplish our goals."\nUC Santa Barbara (22-9, 12-2 Big West last season) also boasts a huge center in 6-8 Lindsey Taylor, who averaged 11 points last season in the Big West. \nWhile the west coast teams pose big women, Western Kentucky (19-14, 8-8 Sun Belt last season) is more of a guard-orientated team. Senior guard Natalie Powers leads the Lady Toppers, averaging 22.3 points last season and ranking ninth in the nation in three-point percentage (.442).\nIU starting junior point guard Kristen Bodine returned to practice Monday after missing Friday's game against the All-Stars with a strained hamstring. She is expected to play in this weekend's tournament.\nExcept for Bodine, IU starts four seniors, including All-Big Ten first-team Jill Chapman. She led the Hoosiers in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (7.5) last season.