Dec. 30, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - Ryan Mendez scored 18 points and Casey Jacobsen had 15 as top-ranked Stanford remained unbeaten by defeating Davidson 87-61 in the championship of the Stanford Invitational on Thursday night.
Mark Madsen, playing in his second game since returning from a strained right hamstring that sidelined him for seven weeks, added 13 points and team-high eight rebounds for the Cardinal (11-0). David Moseley also scored 13 points for Stanford, which is off to its best start since beginning the season 18-0 two years ago, when it reached the Final Four.
Brian Turner and Jason Dickens had 10 points each for Davidson (4-5), which lost big to a Top 10 team for the second time in nine days. The Wildcats lost to No. 9 Duke 109-65 on Dec. 21.
Stanford outscored the Wildcats 41-29 in the second half and outshot Davidson 58 percent to 42 percent from the field.
Up by 14 points at halftime, the Cardinal, playing their final game before opening Pac-10 play next Thursday against Arizona State, broke the game open with an explosive start to the second half.
Moseley connected from 3-point range to ignite a 12-0 run that gave Stanford a 58-32 lead. Mendez also hit a 3-pointer and finished off the run with consecutive layups before a putback by Dickens ended Davidson's four-minute scoring drought.
The Cardinal didn't let up, though, scoring 11 of the next 16 points, including Jacobsen's breakaway dunk off a steal by Julius Barnes.
Stanford led 46-32 at halftime, getting 3-pointers from Mendez and Jacobsen to rebuild its lead after Davidson had pulled within seven points on Wayne Bernard's driving layup
The Cardinal, getting three straight baskets from up close by Jarron Collins, opened a 23-10 lead in the game's first seven minutes. The Wildcats got back in the game with a series of hook shots and short jumpers by Marshall and Dickens.
By DENNIS GEORGATOS
AP Sports Writer