Stanford (4-4) vs. Eastern Washington (1-7) | Saturday • Dec. 15 • 4:00 p.m.
Maples Pavilion • Stanford, Calif.
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Game Notes: Stanford | Eastern Washington
Television: Pac-12 Networks | Radio: Stanford Cardinal Sports Network
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HOME SWEET HOME
After playing six of its first eight games on the road, Stanford will play consecutive home games for the first time this season when the Cardinal hosts Eastern Washington Saturday. Stanford, which also faces San Jose State Dec. 18, will play three of its next four games at home.
FREQUENT FLYERS
In Stanford's six road contests over its first eight games, the Cardinal traveled a total of 16,339 miles inside and outside the United States. with stops in Wilmington, North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Lawrence, Kansas and Paradise Island, Bahamas.
YOUNG SQUAD
Eleven of Stanford's 15 players are in their first or second year. Only senior Josh Sharma and juniors Marcus Sheffield, Trevor Stanback and Rodney Herenton entered the year with at least two seasons played. Through eight games, first and second-year players have accounted for 81 percent of Stanford's scoring (457 of 565) and 83 percent of Stanford's rebounding (240 of 290).
Stanford's starting lineup is made up of three sophomores (Daejon Davis, KZ Okpala, Oscar da Silva) and two freshmen (Cormac Ryan and Bryce Wills). The Cardinal is one of only four teams in Division I to start all freshmen and sophomores, joining East Carolina, Incarnate Word and Mount St. Mary's.
AGAINST EASTERN WASHINGTON
Saturday marks the second ever meeting between Stanford and Eastern Washington on the hardwood. The Eagles defeated the Cardinal last season, 67-61, at Maples Pavilion.
AGAINST THE BIG SKY CONFERENCE
Stanford owns a 19-4 record against teams currently in the Big Sky Conference. The Cardinal's most recent Big Sky opponent was a 79-67 victory over Portland State on Nov. 28.
OKPALA'S IMPACT AS A SOPHOMORE
Sophomore KZ Okpala is averaging a team-best 17.0 ppg in 33.1 mpg through eight games this season. He averaged 10.8 ppg in 30.9 mpg in his first eight games last season. The forward, who had a career-best 29 points in the season opener against Seattle, is ninth in the Pac-12 in scoring. He was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Week on Nov. 12.
RYAN ON TARGET FROM DOWNTOWN
Freshman Cormac Ryan ranks sixth in the Pac-12, averaging 2.1 three-point field goals per game. He scored a team-best 12 points, all in the second half and all on three-pointers, against Florida. The freshman has recorded at least four three-point field goals in a game in three of eight contests (5 vs. Seattle, 4 vs. North Carolina, 4 vs. Florida). Ryan is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.9 ppg. He is shooting 35.5 percent from three-point range (17-of-56).
DAVIS CONTRIBUTING ON BOTH ENDS
Sophomore Daejon Davis, who broke Brevin Knight's school freshman assist record with 160 last season, has started all 41 career games he has played in. The point guard is averaging 9.0 ppg, with 11 steals in eight games. The sophomore has posted at least four points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in two games this season against UNC Wilmington and Middle Tennessee. He has posted at least four points, four rebounds and four assists in three of Stanford's eight games so far. He matched his career-high rebound total with 10 boards vs. Middle Tenn.
WILLS ONE OF NATION'S YOUNGEST PLAYERS
With a birthdate of October 13, 2000, Bryce Wills is the youngest player in the Pac-12 and one of the youngest in Division I. With most of the Division I schools reporting, Wills is the seventh-youngest player in the nation. He has started four games, with a career-best 10 points against Portland State.
WHITE DIALED IN FROM LONG RANGE
Sophomore Isaac White, who led Stanford with 38 three-pointers last season, is one of the Pac-12's top three-point threats again. He ranks second in the conference in three-point field percentage at 70 percent. White is coming off a 5-of-5 performance from beyond the arc at No. 2 Kansas.
DA SILVA'S SECOND-HALF PRODUCTION
Oscar da Silva has scored 39 of his 56 points on the season in the second half. Over the last six games, 35 of his 46 points have come after halftime.
JOSH JAMS
Of senior Josh Sharma's 23 field goals on the season, 13 have been dunks. He has six dunks in the last three games. The center also has a presence on the defensive end, ranking 10th in the Pac-12 with 10 blocks.
SHEFFIELD BACK
Redshirt junior Marcus Sheffield has returned to the lineup this season, after missing the entire 2017-18 season. He injured his leg in practice a couple days before the regular-season opener last year. Sheffield, who poured in a career-best 35 points against Arizona State on Dec. 30, 2016, averaged 6.7 ppg during his true sophomore campaign in 2016-17. Sheffield is averaging 6.0 ppg in 15.6 mpg off the bench in the first eight games of 2018-19.