SETTING THE SCENE
Stanford men’s basketball heads to the Rockies, beginning with a Thursday afternoon clash in Salt Lake City vs. Utah. The 2 p.m. PT tip off will air on ESPNU.
THE OPENING TIP
• Stanford is off to an 8-3 start (4-1 Pac-12), with league wins over Arizona, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State. Ziaire Williams tallied the second triple-double in program history against the Huskies last Thursday, finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a 91-75 victory.
• The Cardinal outlasted Arizona, 78-75, in its conference opener, as four players scored in double figures. Oscar da Silva scored 20 or more for the third straight outing, as Stanford stopped a 20-game win streak in the series by the Wildcats. Stanford sits tied for second in the Pac-12 standings.
• Through 11 games, Stanford ranks ninth nationally in defensive efficiency (per KenPom, as of Jan. 11) while posting the 15th-best field goal defense in the country (38.1%). Stanford ranked seventh nationally in defensive efficiency a year ago, while boasting the nation’s 16th-ranked scoring defense.
• Stanford is the only power conference program yet to play at its home facility this season. The Cardinal’s only “home” games were played in Santa Cruz. The Cardinal is also one of two power conference teams to boast multiple road wins in non-conference play, joining Oklahoma State.
• Oscar da Silva is stating his case as the Pac-12’s top player through five games, averaging 21.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per night in conference play.
TRIPLE DOUBLE
Ziaire Williams led a high octane offensive effort against Washington with the second triple-double in program history, and the first using assists as one of the categories. He finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the fifth freshman in Pac-12 history to tally a triple-double. The first Stanford triple-double came on Jan. 25, 2007, when Brook Lopez had 18 points, 11 rebounds and 12 blocks vs. USC. Williams’ triple-double is the first in any conference matchup since Lopez’s effort in 2007.