STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford and California square off in the 264th all-time meeting between the Bay Area rivals. Chapter one of the 2016 version of the rivalry is Thursday, Jan. 14, at 8 p.m. at Maples Pavilion. The two teams will meet again, Feb. 6 at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley. Both Stanford and Cal enter Thursday with a 2-2 mark in the Pac-12. The Cardinal split its two games in the state of Oregon last week, defeating Oregon State last Wednesday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The game is televised on FOX Sports 1 with Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery on the call courtside from Maples Pavilion. Stanford alums John Platz and Scott Reiss have the call on KNBR 1050 AM. Drew Bontadelli and Mike Wozniak have the call on Compass Media Networks.
AGAINST CALIFORNIA
California holds a 144-119 advantage in the all-time series between the Bay Area rivals. Stanford earned double-digit victories over Cal in both matchups last season, posting a 72-61 win at Maples Pavilion and a 69-59 win at Haas Pavilion. The Cardinal has captured the last three games and five of the past six contests.
LAST MEETING WITH THE GOLDEN BEARS
Chasson Randle had a team-high 19 points to go along with double-doubles from Anthony Brown (16 pts, 11 rebs.) and Michael Humphrey (14 pts., 11 rebs.) in a 72-61 victory for the Cardinal on Feb. 21, 2015 at Maples Pavilion. Stanford shot 44 percent and out-rebounded the Golden Bears, 42-30 in the win.
FAMILIARITY BETWEEN STANFORD AND CAL FRESHMEN
Stanford freshman forward Marcus Sheffield and California freshman forward Jaylen Brown, both from the Atlanta, Ga. area, were teammates from seventh grade through last season on the AAU team Game Elite.
INSIDE THE RIVALRY
• The eight players on Stanford’s current roster who have played against Cal are a combined 16-1 against the Golden Bears. Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen and Christian Sanders are a perfect 3-0, while Grant Verhoeven is the lone Cardinal who has played in a loss against the Bears.
• Stanford holds a 67-64 edge in home games in the series against California
• The Cardinal has won six of its last eight games against the Golden Bears at Maples Pavilion
• Lowest scoring game at Maples Pavilion (built in 1969), was a 43-41 2OT Cal win, on Feb. 16, 1985
LAST TIME OUT
Three Cardinal - Michael Humphrey (18), Rosco Allen (13) and Marcus Allen (12) - scored in double figures, but Stanford fell short of a second straight road victory in Oregon with a 71-58 defeat to the Ducks on Sunday.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Stanford has played the seventh-toughest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s Daily RPI on Jan. 12. The Cardinal’s first 15 opponents have totaled 152 wins (10.1 average) through Jan. 11. The six teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s, Texas, Colorado and Oregon - Stanford suffered setbacks to are a combined 77-17 through Jan. 11. Overall, Stanford’s RPI is 61 through games of Jan. 11.
AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
The Cardinal is 1-1 against top-25 teams this season and 12-21 against ranked foes in the Johnny Dawkins era. Stanford defeated No. 21 Utah (70-68) on Jan. 1 and fell to No. 8/9 Villanova (59-45) on Nov. 27.
150 AND COUNTING
Stanford’s Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men’s Basketball, Johnny Dawkins, captured his 150th career victory in Stanford’s 78-72 victory over Oregon State on Jan. 6. Dawkins, who owns a 150-106 career coaching record in his eighth season at Stanford, has taken the Cardinal to the postseason each of the last four seasons, winning at least 20 games in three of the past four years. Under Dawkins, Stanford has won two NIT titles and reached the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Stanford’s balanced scoring attack includes five guys averaging double figures - Rosco Allen (14.1), Reid Travis (12.8), Marcus Allen (12.7), Dorian Pickens (11.4) and Michael Humphrey (10.9). The Cardinal is one of just three teams in the Pac-12 (USC and UCLA are the others) to have at least five individuals averaging double figures in the scoring column this season.
SHEFFIELD IN PAC-12 PLAY
Freshman Marcus Sheffield is averaging 9.5 points in 21.8 minutes per game in four Pac-12 contests, after averaging 4.0 points in 11.2 minutes in the Cardinal’s 11 nonconference games.
SOPHOMORE IMPACT
The sophomore class has played a major role in the Cardinal’s success this season. Despite playing without injured point guard Robert Cartwright all season and without injured forward Reid Travis’ 12.8 ppg average the last seven games, Michael Humphrey (10.9 ppg) and Dorian Pickens (11.4 ppg) have each started the last seven games and have accounted for 37.5 percent of the scoring (183-of-487) during those seven contests.
THE LINEUP
Rosco Allen was the lone Cardinal from Stanford’s starting lineup in the 2015 NIT Championship game against Miami, who has started all 15 games this season. The Cardinal has used six different lineups in its first 15 games. In the last six contests, Stanford utilized the lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Christian Sanders and Dorian Pickens. The Cardinal owns a 4-2 record with its current lineup.
HOME SWEET HOME
Stanford has won seven of its first 10 home games of the 2015-16 season and has won 10 of its last 13 at home overall. The Cardinal owns a 99-33 record at Maples Pavilion under head coach Johnny Dawkins. Stanford has won at least 10 home games for 22 straight seasons dating back to 1992-93.
PRODUCING IN INCREASED ROLES
The Cardinal’s current lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Dorian Pickens and Christian Sanders combined to average 23.7 points in 91.4 (18.3 per player) minutes per game last season. That same group is averaging a combined 54.2 points in 144.5 (28.9 per player) minutes this year.
| Producing In Increased Roles | ||||
| Player | Minutes (14-15) | Points (14-15) | Minutes (15-16) | Points (15-16) |
| Rosco Allen | 26.4 | 7.3 | 34.1 | 14.1 |
| Marcus Allen | 22.8 | 6.4 | 32.8 | 12.7 |
| Reid Travis | 23.1 | 6.2 | 32.8 | 12.8 |
| Michael Humphrey | 11.3 | 3.1 | 24.9 | 10.9 |
| Christian Sanders | 7.8 | 0.7 | 23.7 | 5.1 |
| Dorian Pickens | 8.6 | 2.0 | 29.0 | 11.4 |
| TOTALS | 100.0 | 25.7 | 177.3 | 67.0 |
ROSCO ALLEN FROM DEEP
Nearly half of Rosco Allen’s field goals (30-of-66) have come from three-point range. The senior ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in three-point field goals per game (2.0). He has recorded multiple three-pointers in 10 games with at least three, five times. He has totaled 22 in the last 10 games.
HUMPHREY’S LAST SEVEN GAMES
Sophomore Michael Humphrey, who is averaging 10.9 points and 7.2 rebounds overall, is averaging 14.0 ppg and 8.1 rpg in his last seven contests. The forward has played the last seven games without fellow starting forward Reid Travis, who is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his leg. The sophomore ranks eighth in the Pac-12 blocks (1.7 bpg) and 11th in rebounds (7.2 rpg). Humphrey has started 13 games, including each of the last 11 contests. The forward posted a career-high 21 points against Sacramento State. He has two double-doubles with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Green Bay and 13 points and 12 rebounds vs. Charleston Southern.
MARCUS ALLEN EXCELLING ON BOTH ENDS OF THE COURT
Junior Marcus Allen has scored in double figures in 10 of the 13 games he has played in this season. He ranks third on the Cardinal in scoring, averaging 12.7 ppg. The guard, who missed the first two games with a foot injury, is also averaging 2.2 assists and ranks second in the Pac-12 in steals (1.8).
FRESHMEN MAKING IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTIONS
The Cardinal’s three-member freshman class of Josh Sharma, Marcus Sheffield and Cameron Walker have each seen action this season. Sheffield is the lone newcomer to see time in all 15 contests, earning the start in the season opener against Green Bay. Walker, who missed the first four games of the year with a calf injury, has totaled 95 minutes in 11 games. Sharma has registered 13 blocks in 77 minutes over 12 games.
.@josharma20: 6️⃣ minutes >> 8️⃣ points against Oregon State
A video posted by Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) on Jan 8, 2016 at 7:51am PST