The women’s basketball team gets a rare chance to turn nightmares into dreams, but there’s also a chance that their nightmares will simply continue.

The Dawgs (14-10 overall, 7-6 Pac-10) travel to the Bay Area to face No. 20 California (18-5 overall, 8-4 Pac-10) today, and then will continue on to face No. 11 Stanford (19-4 overall, 11-1 Pac-10) on Saturday. Both teams pinned double-digit losses on the Huskies in January, and Cal just handed the Cardinal their first Pac-10 loss of the season.

“The last time we played Stanford and California we kind of got slaughtered,” said senior Breanne Watson. “We are going out there focused, knowing that these are two valuable games.”

Washington has five games left on the docket and they sit in the middle of the Pac-10 with postseason play looming on the horizon.

“Even though we’re 7-6, we’re still just a few games away from positioning ourselves in the top of the conference,” said senior Cheri Craddock. “These are confidence-boosters.”

A solid week of practice and a win over Arizona has already boosted the UW in preparation for the tough road trip.

“This was a great week in practice,” Craddock said. “We were playing hard and having fun and just being confident in the way we practice.”

Watson took it a step further.

“It was probably one of the best weeks we’ve had this year,” she said. “The focus and the intensity was up and we were really battling each other. Hopefully we can transfer that to this week.”

In their first meeting, Cal took it to the Huskies in a major way. The Golden Bears’ Devanei Hampton was virtually unstoppable as she scored 25 points in the 72-49 win. Hampton, scouted as a threat inside, couldn’t miss from the outside and she finished shooting 11-for-15.

“It was funny because we were trying to limit her touches on the inside and she made every shot from the outside,” Watson said. “We’ve got to get up on her when she’s outside.”

Watson added that quick defensive rotations by perimeter defenders could help shut down Hampton.

“We’re going to deny the high post and deny her touches,” Craddock said. “Last time we underestimated her shot. If we can keep the ball out of her hands, we can keep her numbers low.”

Hampton isn’t the only Cal player that poses a threat to the Huskies. Ashley Walker leads the team in scoring and rebounding.

“I think with Cal it’s stopping the post game,” Watson said. “As a team we’re comfortable at California. We really have to focus on that and not be shown up. We just have to play better than them; that’s all there is to it.”

After today’s game at Cal, the Huskies travel to Stanford to take on the Pac-10’s first-place team. The Cardinal has a devoted fan base that won’t make taking them down any easier.

“We just have to get our minds to not pay attention and just play hard,” Craddock said. “When we step on the court we have to be serious, ready to go, pumped up with energy and ready to play hard. The rest will all take care of itself.”

Reach reporter Sam Cameron at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.