Preview: Stanford MBB looks to get revenge against Cal on The Farm
On Saturday at 7:00 PM PT on ESPNU, Stanford men’s basketball will take on Cal at Maples Pavilion. Stanford comes in at 8-12 overall and 2-7 in the Pac-12 while Cal comes in at 3-17 overall and 2-7 in the Pac-12. This is the second meeting of the season for the two rivals. Earlier this month in Berkeley, Cal won by a final score of 92-70, so Stanford will be looking for some payback in this game.
Last time out: On Wednesday, Stanford defeated Chicago State 72-65. Spencer Jones (21 points, 7 rebounds & 2 blocks) and Maxime Raynaud (17 points, 13 rebounds, & 2 blocks) led the way for the Cardinal. Stanford got down by double digits in the second half but found a way to come back.
RECAP: Stanford MBB grinds out a victory over Chicago State
Honoring the 1998 Final Four team: Stanford will be honoring the 1998 Final Four team with throwback uniforms. That team trailed by six points (71-65) with under one minute to go against Rhode Island in the Elite Eight and came back to win 79-77 in regulation.
The play that shifted momentum in favor of the Cardinal and gave them the lead was Arthur Lee poking the ball out and Mark Madsen scooping it up for the two-handed jam plus the foul. Madsen would make the foul shot, giving the Cardinal a 76-74 lead with under 30 seconds to go. From there, Stanford would hang on for the win as Rhode Island was unable to make three free throws needed to tie it up. Lee would ice the game away at the foul line by making both of his foul shots with under 5 seconds to go. Cuttino Mobley made a 3-point buzzer beater that was nearly from half court to make it a 79-77 final score.
March Madness: Stanford vs. Rhode Island: 1998 Elite Eight | FINAL MINUTE
On Cal: Since their dominating victory over Stanford, the Bears have lost four games in a row. Their win over Stanford provided a glimmer of hope as they had beaten Colorado in their previous game. It looked like they might be on the road to some serious conference success, but they haven’t been able to build on the momentum that they had from those two wins.
Junior guard Devin Askew is the top scorer on this Cal team, averaging 15.5 points per game, but he’s been a bit rusty, scoring single digits in his last three performances. He also was out for nearly a month, making his first return to action in Cal’s most recent game against Oregon State, which they lost by a final score of 68-48. Still, despite his recent outings, he’s the top player on this team and the one who Stanford needs to most focus their attentions on.
Senior center Lars Thiemann (10.7 points & 6.3 rebounds) and graduate transfer guard DeJuan Clayton (10.2 points) are also scoring in double figures on average while senior forward Kuany Kuany (9.4 points) and freshman forward Grant Newell (8.1 points) are knocking on the door. Both Kuany and Newell are capable shooters who needed to be respected. And then of course Clayton, given how he torched the Cardinal with 26 points.
As a team, Cal is averaging 61.0 points per game on 41.7% shooting from the field, 30.3% shooting from 3-point range, and 74.1% shooting from the foul line. They’re averaging 31.2 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 4.5 steals, 3.3 blocks, and 13.4 turnovers per game. They also average a -1.6 rebound margin and a -2.7 turnover margin per game. Their opponents average 68.4 points per game on 45.5% shooting from the field, 33.3% shooting from 3-point range, and 71.4% shooting from the foul line.
Keys to the game: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is defend the perimeter. Cal went bananas from deep in their last meeting, tying a school record by making 16 3-pointers. If they can hold Cal to their regular season average from deep, they should be fine.
Secondly, Stanford needs to keep Cal away from the free throw line. Cal is a very good free throw shooting team and will look to get to the foul line early and often. If Stanford can keep Cal away from the foul line and force them to score from the field, that will go a long ways towards winning the game. Cal shot 12-16 from the line in Berkeley last time. That can’t happen this go around.
Finally, Stanford needs to establish their presence inside. If Stanford is scoring inside and dominating the glass, that should free things up on the perimeter. Obviously, Stanford should look for their 3-point shot and try to get going from deep, but they tend to fall in love with the three too much. If they get going inside, that more than anything will allow them to get the kind of 3-point looks that they need.
Prediction: Stanford is at home, they’re wearing the throwback uniforms to honor the 1998 Final Four team, and they also got embarrassed in Berkeley earlier this season. The Cardinal should have blood in their eye and be eager for some payback. Plus, they should have a decent crowd with the Sixth Man student section coming out to show support. I got Stanford winning 70-60. I Cal think will hang tough, but in the end the Cardinal will pull away.
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