STANFORD, Calif.- Despite a game-high 24 points from Chasson Randle, Colorado escaped with a 59-56 victory over Stanford on Wednesday night at Maples Pavilion.
Randle misfired on a potential game-tying three-pointer on the final possession as Stanford’s second-half rally fell short.
Stanford (18-11, 9-8 Pac-12) has dropped three in a row since an 83-74 upset of No. 23/25 UCLA two weeks ago.
Colorado (21-9, 10-7 Pac-12) moved into a tie with Arizona State for third place in the conference standings.
Randle was the only Stanford player to reach double-figures in scoring, connecting on 9-18 overall and making all four of the team’s three-point attempts, making him only the sixth player in school history to knock down 200 career triples.
Stanford shot 36.8 percent overall and 10-17 from the foul line. The Cardinal allowed only 38.8 percent shooting but was plagued by 12 turnovers.
Josh Huestis pulled down 13 rebounds but fell one point shy of his eighth double-double of the year. Dwight Powell added eight points while Anthony Brown and Stefan Nastic chipped in with six.
Thanks to an improved defensive effort, Stanford erased a 33-28 halftime deficit. Trailing 46-38 with 14:15 to play, the Cardinal held Colorado without a field goal over the next six minutes.
A layup from Brown put Stanford in front 51-48 with 3:58 remaining, but Colorado responded with seven unanswered points, capped by a three-pointer from Xavier Talton.
Stanford hosts Utah on Saturday, March 8, at 11:30 a.m. on the Pac-12 Networks. A pregame Senior Day ceremony will honor Aaron Bright, Andy Brown, John Gage, Josh Huestis, Robbie Lemons and Dwight Powell.
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NOTES: Stanford is 9-6 all-time against Colorado … Stanford and Colorado were hooking up for the first time. The last time Stanford faced a conference foe for the first time in the last week of the regular season was 23 years ago, when the Cardinal played a home-and-home with California in 1991 … Chasson Randle ranks sixth in school history with 200 career three-pointers, trailing Kris Weems (1995-99) at 201 … Josh Huestis grabbed at least 10 rebounds in a game for the 10th time … Over the last four games, Anthony Brown is averaging 14.8 points while shooting 57.6 percent overall, 43.8 percent from three-point territory and 77.8 percent from the foul line … John Gage converted a three-point play, accounting for Stanford’s only bench points.
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Stanford Head Coach Johnny Dawkins
"I thought we got good shots the last few possessions. Chasson's shot at the end was wide open. He just didn't make it. I thought we had good post moves down low that we didn't convert. We didn't shoot free throws very well either. We had looks and you have to make them. That is what the game comes down to. We had our fair share tonight."
"You have to win. To get over the hump you have to win games. Down the stretch we have opportunities. Our season is still in front of, us but we have to take advantage of our opportunities. We didn't do that tonight. You have to give them credit because they gave us resistance and played well. We didn't match it tonight unfortunately."
"Our guys are playing a little too fast. We need to slow down and have poise and composure. We are not being pressured and our turnovers have been unforced. We have to do a better job of slowing down and keeping good spacing. At times today we got sped up for no reason. It led to unforced turnovers which usually leads to run outs and easy buckets and momentum for the other team."
“We have been outrebounded the last several games. With our size and front line that is disappointing. We challenged our guys to do a better job rebounding the basketball. Chasson offensively has really stepped up and done what he has to do. It can't be just one guy offensively because our offense is built around a balanced attack. We need guys stepping up and making plays. Overall on defense we need to make sure if we aren't making shots, that we aren't letting the other team make any either."
Chasson Randle
"It is very disappointing. We came up short. Especially coming home and have our crowd here. Plus, having a chance at a first-round bye. We have a great opportunity on Saturday and I am looking forward to that."
“We just have to keep guys moving and keep our spacing on the offensive end of the floor. Those are things we have to work on real quick.”
"Guys stepped it up defensively in the second half. They did a really good job of bringing effort and intensity, especially that second group that came in. We need more of that.”
Colorado Head Coach Tad Boyle
“We can't underestimate how much this helped us. This really helped us. I know there are some doubters out there about Colorado. It's hard to make a case for yourself if you go on a big slide. Realize that we won this game on the road -- and Stanford is an NCAA Tournament team. And we beat them tonight on their home floor. It wasn't easy. I just know how good they are and why this means so much to us.”
“I thought our defensive grinding and intensity was the difference tonight. They (Stanford) missed some shots that they normally make, but we'll take it. Defensively our guys battled all night long. Stanford's a good basketball team. I mean, Dwight Powell is a pro. Chasson Randle is as good a guard as there is in this league.”
“Ski's (Booker) defense on Chasson down the stretch was really good, and Wesley's (Gordon) block was big. That's what Wesley brings to this team.”
“The reason that this win is so big and so good, not only because of the time of year it came, but who we got it over and where we got it. I've got a lot of respect for Johnny Dawkins and Stanford. That's what makes this so sweet. We didn't beat a patsy tonight. This team went to UConn and beat UConn earlier this year.”
Josh Scott
“The key for the win would be toughness. There were some tough plays that had to be made down the stretch. It was a big victory morally, emotionally and physically for our team. We didn't want to look at this tomorrow and say that we were so close and that we gave it up on something stupid. We all pulled it together as a team.”