Dec. 18, 2004
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Dan Grunfeld scored 18 points, and Stanford usheredin a new era in its renovated home arena with a 72-62 victory over UC Davis onSaturday night.
Rob Little added 14 points and six rebounds and Matt Haryasz had 12 points,nine boards and two blocks for the Cardinal, who played their first game inMaples Pavilion following a $30 million, 10-month facelift to the team'sraucous digs.
Redshirt freshman Tim Morris had a career-high 13 points as Stanford (4-4)won its 16th straight home game dating to the second-to-last weekend of the2002-03 season when the Cardinal lost 72-69 to Arizona. The home winning streakis the longest active run in the Pac-10.
Fowzi Abdelsamad led UC Davis with 22 points and Rommel Marentez added 15,but the Aggies allowed Stanford to shoot a season-best 63.3 percent.
Ryan Moore, the big brother of Stanford sophomore basketball and footballplayer Evan Moore, had nine points for the Aggies (3-5). They lined up next toeach other and joked during a free throw in the final minute. Moments later onthe other end, Evan fouled Ryan.
UC Davis has not beaten Stanford in 12 meetings.
Nick Robinson gave Stanford a 15-point lead, 57-42, with 8:46 remaining whenhe scored on a putback, and that followed four straight baskets by Morris. TheCardinal's biggest lead was 16 moments later.
During construction, Stanford practiced in a gym across campus and hadtrailers that served as a temporary locker room. The Cardinal were scheduled toplay their early season home games at nearby Santa Clara University and weren'texpected to be back in Maples until January, but the renovation finished aheadof schedule.
The new additions to Maples include a main scoreboard with videocapabilities; a new floor minus the infamous bounce; new seating in the lowerbowl area; an outer concourse; upgraded locker rooms and meeting rooms, andmore restrooms and concession stands.
The Cardinal, who hadn't played in this building since going undefeated athome last season while ranked No. 1, practiced in Maples for only about twoweeks before Saturday's game. They played their first seven games this seasonon the road.
Stanford scored 11 straight points early and jumped out to a 14-4 lead, andshot 59.3 percent in the first half to lead 36-29 at the break.