Tara VanDerveer's Stanford team is short-handed heading into its first practice Friday. Sophomore forward Joslyn Tinkle is nursing a left ankle sprain that could sideline her for a couple of weeks. Guards Melanie Murphy and Lindy La Rocque will be out much longer for the Cardinal, who are gearing up for another deep NCAA tournament run after losing to Connecticut in last season's NCAA title game. "I think it makes them hungry," VanDerveer said Tuesday of finishing as the national runner-up for the second time in three years. Murphy is recovering from microfracture knee surgery, while La Rocque has a bone problem in a foot that has bothered her for months. Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=5678535
