STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford will face its sixth consecutive opponent ranked or receiving votes in either of the top-25 national polls when the Cardinal hosts No. 12/11 Arizona Thursday. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. PT at Maples Pavilion. Stanford and Arizona are 3-2 in the Pac-12, locked in a four-way tie for third in the conference standings.
HOW TO FOLLOW
The game is televised on Pac-12 Network (Pac-12 Bay Area and Pac-12 Arizona as well), with Ted Robinson, Bill Walton and Cindy Brunson on the call. 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.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Stanford has played the fifth-toughest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s Daily RPI on Jan. 19. Arizona is Stanford’s sixth consecutive opponent that is receiving votes or ranked in the top-25 of either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches national poll. The Cardinal’s first 17 opponents have totaled 198 wins (11.6 average) through Jan. 18. The six teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s, Texas, Colorado and Oregon - Stanford suffered setbacks to are a combined 87-18 through Jan. 18. Stanford’s RPI is 44 through games of Jan. 18.
Arizona marks Stanford's sixth consecutive opponent either ranked or receiving votes in either the AP or Coaches' top-25 national poll
— Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) January 18, 2016
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. No. 12/11 Arizona will be the second-highest ranked opponent the Cardinal has faced this season.
AGAINST ARIZONA
Arizona holds a 59-29 advantage in the all-time series with Stanford. The Wildcats have captured the last 11 games in the series. The last two games played at Maples Pavilion have been decided by a total of 10 points.
LAST MEETING WITH THE WILDCATS
Stanford concluded the 2014-15 regular season in Tucson on March 7 of last year, dropping a 91-69 decision to No. 5 Arizona. Four scored in double figures - Chasson Randle (16), Anthony Brown (14), Stefan Nastic (14) and Rosco Allen (10) - for the Cardinal in the defeat. Allen also collected four rebounds in his 31 minutes of action.
LAST TIME OUT
Marcus Allen scored 10 of his 16 points over the final 5 1/2 minutes -- all on free throws -- to go with a season-high 10 rebounds, and Stanford beat California, 77-71, at Maples Pavilion. Rosco Allen had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Cardinal, which has won four straight against its Bay Area rivals. Dorian Pickens scored 14 points and Marcus Sheffield added 11. Stanford scored its final 13 points from the stripe to complete a comeback after falling behind early in the second half.
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 151-106 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 (14.6), Marcus Allen (12.9), Reid Travis (12.8), Dorian Pickens (11.6) and Michael Humphrey (10.8). 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 9.8 points in 22.8 minutes per game in five 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 eight games, Michael Humphrey (10.8 ppg) and Dorian Pickens (11.6 ppg) have each started the last eight games and have accounted for 36.3 percent of the scoring (205-of-564) during those eight 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 16 games this season. The Cardinal has used six different lineups in its first 16 games. In the last seven contests, Stanford utilized the lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Christian Sanders and Dorian Pickens. The Cardinal owns a 5-2 record with its current lineup.
HOME SWEET HOME
Stanford has won eight of its first 11 home games of the 2015-16 season and has won 11 of its last 14 at home overall. The Cardinal owns a 100-33 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
Stanford’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 55.0 points in 145.2 (29.0 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 | 34.2 | 14.6 |
| Marcus Allen | 22.8 | 6.4 | 33.1 | 12.9 |
| Reid Travis | 23.1 | 6.2 | 32.8 | 12.8 |
| Dorian Pickens | 8.6 | 2.0 | 29.3 | 11.6 |
| Michael Humphrey | 1.3 | 3.1 | 24.8 | 10.8 |
| Christian Sanders | 7.8 | 0.7 | 23.8 | 5.1 |
| TOTALS | 100.0 | 25.7 | 178.0 | 67.8 |
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 EIGHT GAMES
Sophomore Michael Humphrey, who is averaging 10.8 points and 7.0 rebounds overall, is averaging 13.3 ppg and 7.6 rpg in his last eight contests. The forward has played the last eight games without fellow starting forward Reid Travis, who is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his leg. The sophomore ranks seventh in the Pac-12 in blocks (1.8 bpg) and 13th in rebounds (7.0 rpg). Humphrey has started 14 games, including each of the last 12 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 11 of the 14 games he has played in this season. He ranks second on the Cardinal in scoring, averaging 12.9 ppg. The guard recorded his first double-double of the season last time out with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win over California. He is also averaging 2.1 assists and ranks second in the Pac-12 in steals (1.8).
PICKENS PROVIDES SCORING PUNCH
Sophomore Dorian Pickens is fourth on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg) and is second on the team with 26, three-pointers. Pickens had a career-best 24 points (on six, three-pointers) against Texas. He posted his first career double-double, with 11 points and a career-best 10 rebounds against No. 8 Villanova. The sophomore, who is averaging 29.3 minutes this season, averaged 2.1 points in 9.8 minutes last season.
SANDERS, THE FLOOR GENERAL
After totaling 81 points in 61 games over his first three seasons at Stanford, senior point guard Christian Sanders has combined to record 82 points in 16 contests this year. He scored a career-high 23 points in a career-long 31 minutes in the season-opening win over Green Bay. The senior is also averaging 2.9 assists per game with a career-best eight in the win over Charleston Southern on Nov. 15.
TRAVIS, A FORCE IN THE PAINT
Sophomore Reid Travis leads the team in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and is third on the team in scoring (12.8). He owns a team-best 55.7 field goal percentage. The forward scored a career-best 18 points at Saint Mary’s and collected a season-high 12 rebounds against Villanova. Travis, who has missed the last eight games, is out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his left leg.
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 16 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 14 blocks in 82 minutes over 13 games.
CARDINAL IN THE NBA
Five former Stanford standouts – Brook Lopez (Brooklyn Nets), Robin Lopez (New York Knicks), Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks), Josh Huestis (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Anthony Brown (Los Angeles Lakers) – opened the 2015-16 season on NBA rosters. Powell, Huestis and Brown all played under head coach Johnny Dawkins. Brook Lopez leads the Nets in scoring (19.9 ppg) and ranks second on Brooklyn’s roster in rebounds (8.4 rpg). Dwight Powell, in his second year in the NBA, is averaging 7.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg for the Dallas Mavericks.
Great to have @cjacobsen23 back on campus today - one of the all-time best #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/AXfJK76zHW
— Johnny Dawkins (@Coach_Dawkins) January 16, 2016