STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford continues its three-game roadswing with its shortest trip of the season, as the Cardinal heads across the Bay to Berkeley to face California at Haas Pavilion on Saturday (Feb. 6) at 1 p.m. PT. Stanford has won four straight against the Bears and looks to sweep the season series for the second straight year.
ROSCO ALLEN'S LAST SEVEN GAMES
Senior Rosco Allen (15.1 ppg overall) is averaging 17.9 ppg in his last seven contests. Four of his five career 20-point games have come in the last seven contests, including a career-high tying 25 at Colorado. Allen has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in five of the past seven games.
Rosco Allen is averaging 21.7 ppg in his last three games. As @mattmuehlebach said, "He's BIG TIME!" https://t.co/1tWrjKNtO1
— Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) February 1, 2016
ALLEN'S SECOND-HALF PRODUCTION
Of Rosco Allen’s 65 total points in his last three games, 44 have come in the second half, including 20 points in the second period at Colorado on Jan. 27.
AGAINST CALIFORNIA
California owns a 144-120 edge in the all-time series, however Stanford has won the last four meetings and six of the last seven. Earlier this season, the Cardinal posted a 77-71 win at home.
INSIDE THE RIVALRY
• The 11 players on Stanford’s current roster who have played against Cal are a combined 26-1
against the Golden Bears. Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen and Christian Sanders are a perfect 4-0,
while Grant Verhoeven is the lone Cardinal who has played in a loss against the Bears.
• Stanford has won the last three games at Haas Pavilion. Last loss in Berkeley was Jan. 29, 2012.
• No one on the current Stanford roster has played in a loss to Cal in Berkeley.
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. Sheffield had 11 points and Brown had 13 during the first meeting between the two teams on Jan. 14.
SHEFFIELD IN PAC-12 PLAY
Freshman Marcus Sheffield is averaging 10.7 points in 24.8 minutes per game in nine Pac-12 contests, after averaging 4.0 points in 11.2 minutes in the Cardinal’s 11 nonconference games.
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST THE BEARS
Marcus Allen scored 10 of his 16 points over the final six minutes -- all on free throws -- to go with a season-high 10 rebounds, leading Stanford to a 77-71 victory over Cal at Maples Pavilion Jan. 14. Rosco Allen had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Dorian Pickens scored 14 and Marcus Sheffield added 11.
Rosco Allen >> Triple-Threat Position. Jab Step. Drill It. #GoStanford
A video posted by Stanford Men's Hoops (@stanfordbball) on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:59am PST
CARDINAL LEADERS AGAINST CAL
Senior Rosco Allen is averaging 9.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per game in four games against Cal. Sophomore Michael Humphrey is avergaing 7.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg in 19.3 mpg in three contests.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Stanford has played the toughest schedule in the nation, according to ESPN’s Daily RPI on Feb. 3. California represents Stanford’s ninth opponent in its last 10 games that is receiving votes or ranked in either the Associated Press or USA Today Coaches national poll. The nine teams - SMU, Villanova, Saint Mary’s, Texas, Colorado (2), Oregon, Arizona and Utah - Stanford suffered setbacks to are a combined 139-33 through Feb. 2. Stanford’s RPI is 59 as of Feb. 3.
LAST TIME OUT
Senior Rosco Allen and sophomore Dorian Pickens each had 16 points for Stanford, but the Cardinal fell short in a 96-74 setback to Utah at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. Marcus Sheffield (13) and Marcus Allen (10) joined Pickens and Rosco Allen as double-figure scorers for the Cardinal. Pickens, who had 15 of his 16 points in the first half, and Rosco Allen also led Stanford with five rebounds apiece. Utah shot 70.8 percent in the first half and 59.6 percent overall for the game.
BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Stanford’s balanced scoring attack includes five guys averaging double figures - Rosco Allen (15.1), Reid Travis (12.8), Marcus Allen (12.3), Dorian Pickens (11.5) and Michael Humphrey (10.2). 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.
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 12 games, Michael Humphrey (10.2 ppg) and Dorian Pickens (11.5 ppg) have each started the last 12 games and have accounted for 33.3 percent of the scoring (281-of-845) during those 12 contests.
THE LINEUP
Rosco Allen is the lone Cardinal to have started all 20 games this season. Stanford has used six different lineups in its 20 games. In the last 11 contests, Stanford utilized the lineup of Rosco Allen, Marcus Allen, Michael Humphrey, Christian Sanders and Dorian Pickens. The Cardinal owns a 6-5 record with this 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 53.7 points in 143.2 (28.6 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 | 34.3 | 15.1 |
| Marcus Allen | 22.8 | 6.4 | 33.2 | 12.3 |
| Reid Travis | 23.1 | 6.2 | 32.8 | 12.8 |
| Dorian Pickens | 8.6 | 2.0 | 29.6 | 11.5 |
| Michael Humphrey | 1.3 | 3.1 | 23.9 | 10.2 |
| Christian Sanders | 7.8 | 0.7 | 22.2 | 4.6 |
| TOTALS | 100.0 | 25.7 | 176.0 | 66.5 |
ROSCO ALLEN FROM DEEP
Rosco Allen ranks sixth in the Pac-12 in three-point field goals made (2.1). He has recorded at least one three-point field goal in each of the last 15 games and has posted multiple three-pointers in six of the last seven games. Allen has totaled eight three-poiners in the last three contests. The senior ranks eighth in scoring (16.6 ppg) during Pac-12 games.
HUMPHREY STEPPING UP WITH TRAVIS OUT
Sophomore Michael Humphrey, who is averaging 10.2 points and 6.6 rebounds overall, is averaging 11.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg in his last 12contests. The forward has played the last 12 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 in blocks (1.5 bpg) and 13th in rebounds (6.6 rpg). Humphrey has started 18 games, including each of the last 16 contests. 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 14 of the 18 games he has played in this season. He ranks third on the Cardinal in scoring, averaging 12.3 ppg. The guard recorded his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win over California on Jan. 14. 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 (11.5 ppg) and is second on the team with 31 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. Pickens also ranks 10th in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage (.776). The sophomore, who is averaging 29.6 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 92 points in 20 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 a team-high 2.6 assists per game with a career-best eight in the win over Charleston Southern on Nov. 15.