Stanford senior center Jayne Appel’s sprained right ankle is improving, but she remains questionable to play in this weekend’s Pac-10 Tournament, Cardinal coach Tara VanDerveer said Tuesday.

VanDerveer, speaking on a pre-tournament conference call, said that Appel is no longer in her walking boot, but still has swelling, soreness and discoloration in the ankle she injured at practice a week ago. Appel sat out Saturday’s regular-season finale against Cal and VanDerveer indicated that if Appel plays, the coach will use her star center as little as possible.

“I’m concerned with how sore it will be,” VanDerveer said.

VanDerveer said it is possible that Appel could sit out the Pac-10 Tournament to heal up for the NCAAs.

“Some of it is wait and see,” VanDerveer said. “Her ankle is a lot better…We are hosting the first and second rounds and I think it’s pretty much a done deal that we are in it. The Pac-10 Tournament is exiting, but the NCAA Tournament is the big dance.”