STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford closes its season-long seven-game homestand Sunday night with a 7 p.m. PT contest against Colorado at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal has won its last three games, most recently defeating No. 21 Utah, 70-68, in overtime on Friday night at Maples Pavilion. Sunday’s contest will air live on ESPNU, with Roxy Bernstein and Corey Williams on the call. Stanford alums John Platz and Scott Reiss will have the call on KNBR 1050 AM.
EYEING 2-0 START IN PAC-12 PLAY FOR FOURTH TIME IN DAWKINS ERA
After the win over No. 21 Utah in the Pac-12 opener, Stanford is looking to start 2-0 in conference play for the fourth time in the Johnny Dawkins era. The Cardinal began league play 2-0 last season (vs. Washington and Washington State) as well as the 2011-12 (vs. UCLA and USC) and 2010-11 (vs. Cal and at ASU) campaigns.
MR. CLUTCH
Senior Rosco Allen continues to produce for the Cardinal when the team needs him the most this season, leading Stanford to come-from-behind victories over No. 21 Utah and Arkansas with late-game heroics. In Friday’s triumph over the Utes, Allen scored four points in the final 38 seconds of regulation to help Stanford, which was down by as many as 12 in the second half, force overtime. The senior then scored five points in the extra period and corralled a key rebound with 45 seconds left to help seal the Cardinal’s win over Utah. On Nov. 27 against Arkansas in Brooklyn, Allen scored eight of his career-high 25 points in the final 4:27 of the game as the Cardinal erased a 17-point deficit with 6:39 to play to win, 69-66.
THE CHEF IS TAKING ORDERS
Freshman Marcus Sheffield has totaled 27 points in Stanford’s last two games, after combining for 34 in the Cardinal’s first 10 contests. He scored a career-best 17 points (all in the second half and overtime) in the win over No. 21 Utah on Friday night. Sheffield’s 17 points against Utah is the most by a Stanford true freshman since Chasson Randle scored 19 points in a victory over Illinois State in the NIT on March 19, 2012. It’s the most by a Stanford rookie in a Pac-12 game since Randle also posted 17 points in a win over California at home on March 4, 2012.
AGAINST COLORADO
Sunday marks the 17th all-time meeting between Stanford and Colorado, with Stanford holding a 9-7 edge in the series. The Cardinal and Buffaloes have met six times since Colorado joined the Pac-12 for the 2011-12 season. Colorado has won each of the last four contests in the series. The last three games have been decided by 11 total points. The two teams met just once last season, a 64-58 triumph for Colorado on Feb. 15 in Boulder.
LAST TIME OUT
Stanford, down by as many as 12 in the second half, used 17 points each from senior Rosco Allen and freshman Marcus Sheffield to earn a 70-68, come-from-behind victory over No. 21 Utah in overtime Friday night at Maples Pavilion. Allen scored five of his 17 points in overtime after banking in the tying basket with 10.5 seconds left in regulation, and Stanford took advantage of Utah’s missed free throws to beat the Utes. The Cardinal also got 14 points from Marcus Allen and 13 points and eight rebounds from Michael Humphrey in the win. Utah’s Jakob Poeltl scored 16 points but fouled out before overtime. Utah missed four free throws in the final 18.9 seconds of regulation.
GOING FOR 150
Stanford’s Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men’s Basketball, Johnny Dawkins, eyes his 150th career victory when the Cardinal hosts Colorado on Sunday. Dawkins, who owns a 149-104 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 Championships and reached the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Stanford’s balanced scoring attack includes four guys averaging more than 12 ppg. The Cardinal is one of just two teams in the Pac-12 (UCLA is the other) to have four guys average at least 12.7 ppg. Rosco Allen (14.2 ppg) ranks 14th in the Pac-12 in scoring, while Marcus Allen (13.1 ppg) ranks 24th, Reid Travis (12.8 ppg) is 27th and Dorian Pickens (12.7 ppg) ranks 28th.
HOME SWEET HOME
Stanford has won seven of its first nine home games of the 2015-16 season and has won 10 of its last 12 at home overall. The Cardinal owns a 99-32 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.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Stanford’s first 13 opponents have totaled 108 victories already this season through Jan. 1. The four teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s and Texas - the Cardinal has suffered setbacks to this season own a combined record of 43-7 this season through Jan. 1.