STANFORD, Calif. – Another Stanford men's basketball season is in the books, as the Cardinal won 16 games including a series of high-profile victories.
Stanford went 16-16 on the season, which came to a close in the Pac-12 Tournament following a buzzer-beating win over Arizona State and a narrow loss to No. 2 Arizona. Spencer Jones led the team with 12.0 points per game, Harrison Ingram paced the squad with 6.7 rebounds per night, and Michael O'Connell dished a team-leading 3.6 assists per game.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
One of the most dynamic and versatile freshmen in the country, Harrison Ingram was Stanford's first Pac-12 Freshman of the Year since 1999-2000, and earned one of the five spots on the All-Freshman team in addition to garnering All-Pac-12 honorable mention status. He was Stanford's first Freshman of the Year since Casey Jacobsen in 2000, and just the fifth all-time, joining Brevin Knight (1994), Johnny Rogers (1982) and John Revelli (1981). He joins only Jacobsen with all-conference and all-freshman recognition in the same year.
Ingram ended the season as one of just two players nationally to average at least 10 points, six rebounds and three assists as a true freshman, along with Duke's Paolo Banchero. He was the only freshman in the league this season to average double figure scoring, and he won six Pac-12 Freshman of the Week awards, which is the second-most in conference history, behind only USC's Evan Mobley (2020-21), who won the honor seven times last season. He was also a top-10 finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year award.
JONESING FOR JONES
Spencer Jones garnered his first All-Pac-12 awards with honorable mention selections to the all-conference and all-defense teams. The swingman was the team's leading scorer at 12.0 points per game, while averaging 4.5 rebounds per night. He is one of six players league-wide this season to earn all-conference and all-defensive honors.
He has established himself as one of the best 3-point shooters in program history, and the sniper moved into the top-10 in program history in made threes in March at Arizona State. Jones ended the season in ninth on the all-time list with 189 made threes.
27 points per game at the @pac12 Tournament, @SKJones24 was nothing short of awesome this week in Las Vegas.
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) March 12, 2022
#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/lTSLRzanPy
His season ended on its highest note for Jones, who had back-to-back career highs in the Pac-12 Tournament, scoring 26 against Arizona State (March 9) and 28 against Arizona (March 10). He led the tournament in scoring and made 3-pointers, and was named to the all-tournament team.
Additional Reading: Stanford Coach Haase Building a Culture for his Team | Associated Press
SWEPT USC
One of the highlights of the season was Stanford's sweep of a ranked USC team. The Cardinal's first win over USC was its first over a top-five opponent since 2007 (UCLA), led by 21 points apiece from Harrison Ingram and Spencer Jones, and the second was its first over a top-25 team on the road since 2014 (Texas), as Jaiden Delaire, Ingram and Jones ended in double figures.
Good night Stanford Fam ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/kKbxYM66c2
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) January 12, 2022
Brought our broom to the Galen Center, this team is trending ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/ideHdAKvvz
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) January 28, 2022
MY STANFORD STORY: SAM BESKIND
Additional Reading: The Basketball Guy - O'Connell traded one future for another in a pandemic-led journey to Stanford | David Kiefer, Stanford Athletics
CARDIAC CARDINAL
Jaiden Delaire drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer on Dec. 12 to lead Stanford past Oregon, 72-69. Delaire gave Stanford its first win at the buzzer since Oscar da Silva scored at the horn against UCLA on Jan. 23, 2021, stepping into a deep 3-pointer on the left wing, scoring over Oregon's Eric Williams Jr. The 20 points for Delaire came in a season-best output, as he also pitched in six rebounds and two blocks.
JAIDEN DELAIRE WINS IT!!!!!!!!#GoStanford | @JaidenDelaire pic.twitter.com/VNCOQKbeLc
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) December 13, 2021
Add this to the archives of hardwood classics at Maples #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/yOAjrLWy4W
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) December 14, 2021
Four days later, Harrison Ingram scored inside with 0.7 seconds left on the clock against Dartmouth to send the game to overtime.
You can't make this up.@Harrisoniingram WHEN IT COUNTS.
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) December 17, 2021
We're going to ????????????????!
?? » https://t.co/KdPfr4yMAc#GoStanford | @Harrisoniingram pic.twitter.com/Qt4laHTwJl
Brandon Angel was fouled on a 3-point attempt against Arizona State with one second to play, and Angel hit all three at the stripe to earn the victory.
Composed and collected.
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) January 24, 2022
Eighth win this year at Maples! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/kYK5EIIvC2
The heroics continued in the Pac-12 Tournament, as James Keefe collected a loose ball in the paint and banked home a buzzer-beater to lift Stanford over Arizona State in the first round. The Cardinal went 6-1 in games decided by three points or fewer.
?? JAMES KEEFE FTW ??#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/UEejoy7AJf
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) March 9, 2022
One for the memories today. Three more to go!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/PTkTh1U5c9
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) March 10, 2022
HAWAII 2-0
Stanford advanced past Wyoming with a 66-63 victory in the opener at the Diamond Head Classic. Jaiden Delaire led the Cardinal in scoring for the third time in the last four games, scoring 17 points with seven rebounds, while Spencer Jones matched his then-season-high with 15 points and six rebounds. In the semifinal, Jones led the way with a career-high 25 points, going 8-for-11 from the field with five 3-pointers, to lead the Cardinal past Liberty, 79-76. The Cardinal was slated to face Vanderbilt in the championship game, but health and safety protocols began a stretch of four straight postponed or canceled games for the program. Jones was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Additional Reading: Stanford freshman Isa Silva, a bracero descendant, shaped by family sacrifice | San Francisco Chronicle
WELCOME TO THE FARM
Stanford signed a pair of four-star forwards when the early signing period opened in the class of 2022. Jaylen Thompson, from Oakland and rated as high as No. 62 nationally by 247 Sports, and Ryan Agarwal, a four star Rivals and ESPN shooting guard from Coppell, Texas, join a program that has signed top-20 classes nationally in three of the past four seasons, while this year's class begins with Stanford signing two four-star players for the third consecutive year.
??? Signed, sealed, delivered. Here comes @J4YThompson!#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/1Fxwwsv7Dg
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) November 11, 2021
??? Welcome to The Farm, @RyanAgarwa1! #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/0wwjF86oHY
— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) November 10, 2021
Awards & Accolades
| Name | Honors |
|---|---|
| Michael O'Connell | CoSIDA Academic All-District |
| Jaiden Delaire | Preseason All-Pac-12 honorable mention |
| Spencer Jones | All-Pac-12 honorable mention Pac-12 All-Defense honorable mention Pac-12 Championships All-Tournament Team Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team |
| James Keefe | CoSIDA Academic All-District |
| Sam Beskind | Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year |
| Harrison Ingram | Pac-12 Freshman of the Year All-Pac-12 honorable mention Pac-12 All-Freshman team Preseason All-Pac-12 honorable mention Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year watch list Six-time Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (Nov. 15, Dec. 13, Dec. 20, Dec. 27, Jan. 31, Feb. 14) |