STANFORD, Calif. - Winners of two of its last three, Stanford hits the road for the second time this month. The Cardinal travels to Boulder, Colo. to face Colorado on Wednesday (Jan. 27) at 6 p.m. PT. Stanford, 11-7 overall, enters Wednesday’s game tied with the Buffaloes for third in the Pac-12 standings with a 4-3 conference mark. Stanford and Colorado join four other teams (Arizona, California, USC, and Utah) at 4-3 in the league, a game out of first.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Stanford has played the third-toughest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s Daily RPI on Jan. 26. Colorado represents Stanford’s seventh opponent in its last eight games that is receiving votes or ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches national poll. The seven teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Arizona - Stanford suffered setbacks to are a combined 111-26 through Jan. 25. Stanford’s RPI is 46 as of Jan. 26.
AGAINST COLORADO
Stanford holds a 9-8 edge in the series. The Buffaloes have won each of the last five contests. The last four games have been decided by 12 total points, including a 56-55 Colorado victory Jan. 3 at Maples Pavilion. Stanford is 3-5 against Colorado on the road. The Cardinal’s last win (74-50) in Boulder was Feb. 23, 2012. Nobody on Stanford’s current roster has played in a win over Colorado.
EARLIER THIS SEASON AGAINST THE BUFFALOES
Colorado’s Josh Scott hit a driving layup with 41 seconds remaining to lift the Buffaloes to a 56-55 victory over Stanford at Maples Pavilion on Jan. 3. Stanford erased all but one point of a 16-point deficit in its comeback bid. Michael Humphrey had 19 points and eight rebounds for the Cardinal.
LAST TIME OUT
Rosco Allen scored 24 points (one shy of his career-high), including the winning basket with 3.2 seconds remaining to lift Stanford past Arizona State, 75-73, Saturday night at Maples Pavilion. Marcus Allen added 13 points as the Cardinal beat the Sun Devils a fifth straight time at home. Michael Humphrey had 11.
Rosco Allen for the win! #GoStanford
A video posted by Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) on Jan 24, 2016 at 8:25am PST
70 IS KEY
In Stanford’s four Pac-12 victories, the Cardinal is averaging 75.0 ppg, while in its three conferences losses it is averaging 56.7 ppg. In the four wins, Stanford has scored in the 70s each time (70 vs. Utah, 78 vs. Oregon State, 77 vs. California and 75 vs. Arizona State). In the three losses, the Cardinal has scored in the 50s each time (55 vs. Colorado, 58 vs. Oregon and 57 vs. Arizona). Senior Rosco Allen is averaging 21.0 ppg in the four victories and 8.0 ppg in the three league losses.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Stanford’s balanced scoring attack includes five guys averaging double figures - Rosco Allen (14.5), Reid Travis (12.8), Marcus Allen (12.6), Dorian Pickens (11.4) and Michael Humphrey (10.7). The Cardinal is one of three teams in the Pac-12 (USC and UCLA) to have at least five individuals averaging double figures in the scoring column this season. There has not been a Stanford team with five individuals averaging double figures in scoring, dating back to the 1948-49 season.
Five Cardinal players are averaging double figures in scoring. No Stanford team has had five in double figures, dating back to 1949
— GoStanford Notes (@gostanfordnotes) January 27, 2016
SHEFFIELD IN PAC-12 PLAY
Freshman Marcus Sheffield is averaging 10.1 points in 24.0 minutes per game in seven 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 10 games, Michael Humphrey (10.67 ppg) and Dorian Pickens (11.4 ppg) have each started the last 10 games and have accounted for 35.2 percent of the scoring (245-of-696) during those 10 contests.
THE LINEUP
Rosco Allen, the lone Cardinal from Stanford’s starting lineup in the 2015 NIT Championship game against Miami, has started all 18 games this season. The Cardinal has used six different lineups in its first 18 games. In the last nine contests, Stanford utilized the lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Christian Sanders and Dorian Pickens. The Cardinal owns a 6-3 record with its current lineup.
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 54.0 points in 145.0 (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 | 14.5 |
| Marcus Allen | 22.8 | 6.4 | 33.5 | 12.6 |
| Reid Travis | 23.1 | 6.2 | 32.8 | 12.8 |
| Dorian Pickens | 8.6 | 2.0 | 29.6 | 11.4 |
| Michael Humphrey | 1.3 | 3.1 | 24.6 | 10.7 |
| Christian Sanders | 7.8 | 0.7 | 23.1 | 4.8 |
| TOTALS | 100.0 | 25.7 | 177.8 | 66.8 |
ROSCO ALLEN FROM DEEP
Nearly half of Rosco Allen’s field goals (36-of-81) have come from three-point range. The senior ranks eighth in the Pac-12 in three-point field goals per game (2.0). He has recorded multiple three-pointers in 12 games with at least three on seven occasions. He has totaled 28 in the last 13 games.
HUMPHREY’S LAST 10 GAMES
Sophomore Michael Humphrey, who is averaging 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds overall, is averaging 12.6 ppg and 7.2 rpg in his last 10 contests. The forward has played the last 10 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 (1.6 bpg) and 13th in rebounds (6.8 rpg). Humphrey has started 16 games, including each of the last 14 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 FLOOR
Junior Marcus Allen has scored in double figures in 12 of the 16 games he has played in this season. He ranks third on the Cardinal in scoring, averaging 12.6 ppg. The guard recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win over California. He is also averaging 2.2 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 (11.4 ppg) and is second on the team with 29 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 29.6 minutes this season, averaged 2.1 points in 9.8 minutes last season.