SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Stanford continues its three-game road trip on Saturday (Jan. 30), as the Cardinal meets Utah at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah at 2 p.m. PT. The Cardinal looks for the season sweep against the Utes, after posting a 70-68 overtime victory against Utah at home on Jan. 1.
DAY GAME IS RARE
Saturday’s 2 p.m. PT start at Utah is just the third day game (tip-off before 5 p.m. PT) in Stanford’s first 20 contests this season. In contrast, five of Stanford’s final 10 regular-season games will be played in the day.
ROSCO ALLEN’S LAST SIX GAMES
Senior tri-captain Rosco Allen (15.1 ppg overall) is averaging 18.2 ppg in his last six contests. Four of his five career 20-point games have come in the last six contests, including a career-high tying 25 at Colorado on Wednesday night. Allen has led the Cardinal in scoring in four of those six games. The senior (6.2 rpg overall) is also averaging 7.3 rebounds in the last six games.
SECOND-TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN THE NATION
Stanford has played the second-toughest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s Daily RPI on Jan. 29. Utah represents Stanford’s eighth opponent in its last nine games that is receiving votes or ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches national poll. The eight teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s, Texas, Colorado (2), Oregon, Arizona - Stanford suffered setbacks to are a combined 114-27 through Jan. 28. Stanford’s RPI is 51 as of Jan. 29.
AGAINST UTAH
Utah leads the series, 17-12, however Stanford has won four of the last six meetings, including a 70-68 overtime victory over the Utes at home on Jan. 1. Prior to the two-point win earlier this season, the average margin of victory by the winning team over the previous five games was 18.0 points.
EARLIER THIS SEASON AGAINST THE UTES
Stanford defeated No. 21/22 Utah, 70-68, in overtime in the Pac-12 opener for both teams on Jan. 1. Rosco Allen scored five of his 17 points in overtime after recording the tying basket with 10.5 seconds left in regulation, and Stanford took advantage of Utah’s missed free throws to beat the Utes.
Marcus Sheffield's 17 pts vs/Utah was most by Stanford frosh in a P12 game since Chasson Randle, 17 vs/Cal 3/4/12 pic.twitter.com/nlr7FZziw5
— Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) January 2, 2016
Freshman Marcus Sheffield scored a season-high 17 points and Marcus Allen added 14 for Stanford, which made 10 of its first 18 shots out of halftime to get back in the game. Jakob Poeltl scored 16 points but fouled out before overtime.
LAST TIME OUT
Rosco Allen matched his career-high with 25 points, but the Cardinal dropped a 91-75 decision to hot-shooting Colorado Wednesday in Boulder, Colo. Colorado shot 68 percent (13-of-19) from three-point range.
70 IS KEY
In Stanford’s four Pac-12 victories, the Cardinal is averaging 75.0 ppg, while in its four conferences losses it is averaging 61.2 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 four losses, the Cardinal has scored in the 50s all but one time (55 vs. Colorado, 58 vs. Oregon, 57 vs. Arizona and 71 at Colorado). Senior Rosco Allen is averaging 21.0 ppg in the four victories and 12.3 ppg in the four league losses, which includes a 25-point game at Colorado.
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.
SHEFFIELD IN PAC-12 PLAY
Freshman Marcus Sheffield is averaging 10.4 points in 24.4 minutes per game in eight Pac-12 contests, after averaging 4.0 points in 11.2 minutes in the Cardinal’s 11 nonconference games.
THE LINEUP
Rosco Allen, the lone Cardinal from Stanford’s starting lineup in the 2015 NIT Championship game against Miami, has started all 19 games this season. The Cardinal has used six different lineups in its 19 games. In the last 10 contests, Stanford utilized the lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Christian Sanders and Dorian Pickens. The Cardinal owns a 6-4 record with its current lineup.
PRODUCIN 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 53.9 points in 143.7 (28.7 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 | 15.1 |
| Marcus Allen | 22.8 | 6.4 | 33.4 | 12.5 |
| Reid Travis | 23.1 | 6.2 | 32.8 | 12.8 |
| Dorian Pickens | 8.6 | 2.0 | 29.4 | 11.3 |
| Michael Humphrey | 1.3 | 3.1 | 24.1 | 10.3 |
| Christian Sanders | 7.8 | 0.7 | 22.6 | 4.7 |
| TOTALS | 100.0 | 25.7 | 176.5 | 66.7 |
ROSCO ALLEN FROM DEEP
Nearly half of Rosco Allen’s field goals (39-of-88) have come from three-point range. The senior ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in three-point field goals per game (2.1). He has recorded multiple three-pointers in 13 games with at least three on eight occasions. He has totaled 14 in the last six games.
HUMPHREY’S LAST 11 GAMES
Sophomore Michael Humphrey, who is averaging 10.7 points and 6.8 rebounds overall, is averaging 11.8 ppg and 7.0 rpg in his last 11 contests. The forward has played the last 11 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 (1.5 bpg) and 13th in rebounds (6.7 rpg). Humphrey has started 17 games, including each of the last 15 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 13 of the 17 games he has played in this season. He ranks third on the Cardinal in scoring, averaging 12.5 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 2.1 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 (11.3 ppg) and is second on the team with 30 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 29.4 minutes this season, averaged 2.1 points in 9.8 minutes last season.