Box Score

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - T'Nae Thiel scored 16 points and No. 11 Stanford beat California 61-53 Saturday to snap a two-game losing streak.

Susan Borchadt added 14 points as the Cardinal (18-5, 11-3 Pac-10) took a one-half game lead over Arizona in conference play with four games remaining.

Nicole Powell had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists, and Kelley Suminski added 11 points as Stanford beat Cal for the 21st time in 26 games at home.

"We knew they would go to Thiel, but we didn't have answer for that right away," said Cal coach Caren Horstmeyer. "They hit key shots at key times."

Leigh Gregory scored 12 points to lead the Bears (9-14, 2-12), who lost their 10th straight and 12th in 13 games.

"This is the first time I've seen a spark in our team for a while," said Gregory.

Kiki Williams and LaTasha O'Keith each added 10 points.

Stanford, which fell out of first place in the Pac-10 after losing road games at Arizona and Arizona State, got healthy at home, where the Cardinal are 12-1 this season. Cal fell to 1-8 on the road.

The Bears pulled to within 42-40 when LaTasha O'Keith hit an inside basket with 9:20 remaining to play. Stanford went on a 12-2 run over the next five minutes, with Thiel and Borchardt combining for nine of the points.

California got within seven points in the final minute but couldn't get any closer.

Borchardt hit a 3-pointer midway through the first half to snap a 13-all tie and spark a 12-3 run which gave Stanford a 25-16 lead.

California went scoreless for more than seven minutes in the half, but rallied late to pull within 25-20 at halftime.

Stanford freshman center Kristen Newlin missed her fourth straight game with a bone bruise in her right knee.

Other Notes

- Cal, who lost by eight, played Stanford the closest that any Pac-10 foe has at Maples Pavilion this year. The Cardinal are 7-0 in conference games at home.

- The Bears forced the Cardinal into 20 turnovers, while committing only 15.

- Freshman guard Keanna Levy tallied a collegiate-high seven points.

- Cal is now 3-9 in games decided by 10 points or less, including 1-7 in Pac-10 games.

Additional quote from Cal head coach Caren Horstmeyer

"There's no doubt that we have been struggling, and we are working on getting better. I think we got better today, and we believed we could beat them."