2013-14 Final Record: 23-13, 10-8 Pac-12 (T3rd)
2013-14 Postseason: NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
(March 27: Dayton 82, Stanford 72 - Memphis, Tenn.)
2013-14 Pac-12 Tournament: 2-1
(March 14: UCLA 84, Stanford 59 - Las Vegas, Nev.)
Season Snapshot
Despite losing two starters and two key reserves to season-ending injuries, Stanford (23-13, 10-8 Pac-12) advanced to the Sweet 16 for only the fifth time in school history following upsets of New Mexico and Kansas. Making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008, Stanford was 5-2 against top-25 foes and tied for third in the highly-competitive Pac-12. Of Stanford’s 36 games, 19 came against NCAA Tournament competition, including a 53-51 road win at No. 10/10 Connecticut on Dec. 18 that represented the only non-conference loss for the NCAA champion Huskies.
Awards Banquet Concludes 2013-14
Dwight Powell and Chasson Randle were named co-recipients of the Hank Luisetti Most Valuable Player honor. Both players also walked away with statistical awards, with Powell claiming the assists title and Randle notching scoring honors. Joining Powell as a recipient of the Captains’ Award was Josh Huestis, who received the Howie Dallmar Coaches Award, Roy Young Toughness Award, Best Defensive Player Award and statistical award for rebounds. Anthony Brown and Stefan Nastic shared the Most Improved Player award. Nastic also captured the field goal percentage statistical award while Brown received mention for free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage. Robbie Lemons earned the Peter Sauer Most Inspirational Player honor while John Gage (3.65 GPA) collected the Scholar-Athlete Award.
Stanford Among Elite Company
Over the last six years, 26 schools have reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 at least twice. Taking it one step further, that same list features only four West Coast programs. Arizona (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014) has accomplished the feat four times, followed by Stanford (2008, 2014), San Diego State (2011, 2014) and UCLA (2008, 2014).
It’s Another 20-Win Campaign
Stanford reached the 20-win plateau for the 22nd time in school history and third during head coach Johnny Dawkins’ six-year tenure. Dawkins joined Mike Montgomery (13) and John Bunn (3) as the only Cardinal head coaches to post at least three 20-win campaigns.
Stanford All-Time In NCAA Tournament
Stanford improved to 23-16 record in NCAA Tournament competition. Making its 17th appearance in the Big Dance, the Cardinal knocked off 10th-seeded New Mexico (58-53) and second-seeded Kansas (60-57) in the second and third round of the South Regional in St. Louis. Stanford captured the 1942 championship, reached the Final Four in 1998, advanced to the Elite Eight in 2001 and moved on to the Sweet 16 in 1997.
Breaking Down The Seeding
Stanford’s only other appearance as a No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament came in 1994-95, defeating No. 7 UNC Charlotte 70-68 in the opening round in Albany, N.Y. The Cardinal then suffered a 75-53 second-round loss to No. 2 seed Massachusetts.
Stanford vs. NCAA Tournament Teams
The Cardinal produced a 9-10 record in games against NCAA Tournament teams.
Takeaways: Dayton 82, Stanford 72 (March 27, 2014 - Memphis, Tenn.)
Despite four players scoring in double figures and a game-high 21 points (5-21 FG, 8-11 FT) from Chasson Randle, Stanford was unable to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit ... Dwight Powell added 17 points and fell one rebound shy of his eighth double-double ... Stefan Nastic added 15 points while Josh Huestis totaled 13 points and eight boards ... Dayton shot 48.3 percent overall, dished out 19 assists on 28 baskets and connected on 8-23 from three-point territory. The Flyers received a considerable boost from their bench, with reserves producing 34 points as 11 different players saw court time ... Stanford shot 37.9 percent overall but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 5-21 ... The Cardinal remained within striking distance thanks to a 23-33 performance from the foul line. However, two John Gage free throws represented the only bench scoring ... Head coach Johnny Dawkins was issued his first technical since Feb. 23, 2013 at Oregon.
Takeaways: Stanford 60, Kansas 57 (March 23, 2014 - St. Louis, Mo.)
Fueled by one of the year’s stingiest defensive efforts, Stanford posted a 60-57 upset ... Kansas, which entered the contest averaging 79.6 points per game while shooting 49.8 percent overall, led for only three minutes while projected NBA lottery pick and leading scorer Andrew Wiggins was limited to four points on 1-6 shooting in 34 minutes ... Dwight Powell’s 15 points led four players in double figures while Chasson Randle added 13. Stanford shot 44.7 percent overall and 18-26 from the foul line ... Making the win even more impressive was Stanford’s 0-9 clip from three-point range ... The Cardinal had made at least one three-pointer in 422 consecutive games dating back to a 0-6 outing against Purdue on Nov. 24, 2001 in the John Wooden Tradition ... Stanford owned advantages in rebounds (37-35) and points in the paint (30-20) ... Stanford was 9-12 from the foul line over the final 2:04, led by Anthony Brown’s 6-9 clip.
Takeaways: Stanford 58, New Mexico 53 (March 21, 2014 - St. Louis, Mo.)
Chasson Randle poured in a team-high 23 points, pacing Stanford to a 58-53 victory ... Stanford led for all but two minutes of the game. Anthony Brown and Stefan Nastic added 10 points for Stanford, which shot 38.8 percent overall but 8-15 from distance ... Despite an off night from Dwight Powell (three points, 0-8 FG), Stanford received timely bench production from John Gage (three points, six rebounds) and Robbie Lemons (two free throws with 23 seconds remaining after entering the game just 7-12 all year) ... Stanford made eight of its first 10 shots and led 20-4 with 13:23 left in the first half ... Anthony Brown (1,001) and Josh Huestis (1,000) both reached the 1,000-point mark for their careers. Powell and Randle had already accomplished the feat this season ... New Mexico led for only 24 seconds, shot 36.5 percent and made 4-21 from long range.
Defense Ignites NCAA Upset Victories
Stanford advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 after shutting down two of the nation’s most efficient offenses in New Mexico and Kansas. Through its first two games in the postseason, Cardinal opponents averaged 55.0 points while shooting 34.5 percent overall and 24.3 percent from three-point territory. The Cardinal’s size advantage proved to be a key factor in both contests. Stanford’s defense was actually terrific down the stretch, with UCLA (84) and Dayton (82) the only opponents to score more than 63 points over the final eight games.
That Time Of Year For #NerdNation
Making Stanford’s NCAA Tournament run even more impressive was the significant amount of time devoted to wrapping up final exams. In the 12 hours leading up to their NCAA opener against New Mexico on March 21, Stanford players found time to knock out a total of 15 finals, the majority of which required three hours to complete. So if guys like John Gage (Programming Methodology), Josh Huestis (Cognitive Neuroscience), Stefan Nastic (Political Science) or Chasson Randle (Linguistics) appeared slightly little less stressed during the second week of the tournament, it was for good reason.
Other NCAA Tournament Tidbits
Among the notable storylines from Stanford’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 run:
Chasson Randle played 119 of the Cardinal’s 120 minutes during NCAA Tournament action. Against Dayton, Randle was subbed out for one minute late in the first half ... Stefan Nastic shot 14-18 (77.8 percent) from the field during the postseason. Over his final eight games combined, Nastic converted an incredible 29-34 (85.3 percent) from the floor ... Prior to facing Dayton, Stanford had trailed for a total of 3:31 in the NCAA Tournament: 24 seconds against New Mexico and 3:07 against Kansas.
Cardinal Has Performed Well In March
Stanford is now 21-14 in games played during the month of March under head coach Johnny Dawkins. In addition to this year’s NCAA Sweet 16 run, the Cardinal won a school-record seven games in March during the 2011-12 campaign, leading to the NIT championship.
1,000-Point Milestone Reached In Two Games
Four players reached the 1,000-career point mark in two different games during the 2013-14 campaign. Dwight Powell and Chasson Randle accomplished the feat in a 112-103 loss to BYU on Nov. 11, while Anthony Brown and Josh Huestis reached the same plateau in a victory over New Mexico on March 21, 2014.
Six Pac-12 All-Academic Picks A League Best
Stanford was represented with a league-best six players named to the Pac-12 All-Academic team. For the fifth season in a row, Stanford totaled the most selections of any conference school. Anthony Brown, John Gage and Robbie Lemons were named to the first team, while Stefan Nastic and Chasson Randle were recognized as second team picks. Dwight Powell earned honorable mention accolades. To be eligible for selection to the Pac-12 All-Academic team, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant contributor. Stanford has produced 60 all-time All-Academic selections, the most of any conference school since the inception of the award in 1985-86. Washington State ranks second, having totaled 29 honorees.
Powell Named Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Dwight Powell was named this year’s Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year (senior on track to receive degree, cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, athletic accomplishments). A Science, Technology & Society major, Powell sports a 3.05 GPA and is scheduled to graduate in June. Powell earned Pac-12 All-Academic team accolades three times, receiving honorable mention status as a senior and sophomore while being named to the second team as a junior. In addition to being named to this year’s John R. Wooden Award preseason watch list, Powell was one of 30 Senior CLASS Award candidates (notable achievements in four different areas: community, classroom, character and competition.)
Powell, Randle Tabbed All-Pac-12 First Team
Dwight Powell and Chasson Randle both earned spots on the All-Pac-12 First Team, as Stanford was well represented with four honorees overall among this year’s All-Pac-12 award winners. Josh Huestis was tabbed to the five-member All-Defensive Team while Anthony Brown was named the Most Improved Player of the Year award. Stanford’s four all-conference selections are the most since four players also received accolades in 2010-11. It’s the first time two players were named to the 10-member All-Pac-12 team since the 2005-06 season, when Chris Hernandez and Matt Haryasz were honored. The conference first started recognizing multi-team status (first, second, honorable mention, etc.) in the 2007-08 season.
No. 10/10 UConn Win Highlights Non-Conference Play
Stanford upset No. 10/10 Connecticut 53-51 on Dec. 18 in Hartford, notching its first road win over a top-10 team since edging No. 9/9 Washington State 67-65 in overtime on Feb. 2, 2008. Trailing 43-30 four minutes into the second half, Stanford limited Connecticut to just 5-31 (16.1 percent) shooting over the final 20 minutes. Connecticut had won 54 straight home games against non-conference foes dating back to 2007. Chasson Randle scored a game-high 22 points while Dwight Powell posted a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds. It was the only non-conference loss of the season for eventual NCAA champion Connecticut.
Cardinal Was Also Road-Tested
Stanford owned the Pac-12’s best overall road record (6-5) behind regular-season champion Arizona (8-3). The Cardinal was also 5-4 at neutral sites, finishing 11-9 away from home.
Resilient Nature A Constant
Stanford consistently displayed the ability to bounce back after a loss, posting a 9-3 record in such games. That type of resiliency was most evident in conference play, as the Cardinal won the second game of a road trip after losing the first on three different occasions - a feat Stanford had never accomplished since Pac-10 play debuted in 1979.
Stanford Against The Top-25
Stanford finished 5-2 against the top-25, defeating No. 23/25 UCLA at home while winning road games at No. 10/10 Connecticut and No. 17/13 Oregon. In the NCAA Tournament, Stanford knocked off No. 17/17 New Mexico and No. 10/10 Kansas. The two losses both came against Arizona, falling 60-57 at Maples when the Wildcats were ranked No. 1 in both polls and 79-66 in Tucson when the Wildcats were ranked No. 3 in both polls. The five victories over ranked foes were the most since the 2007-08 campaign, when Stanford knocked off six top-25 clubs. Stanford is 9-15 all-time versus top-25 teams under head coach Johnny Dawkins.
Home Sweet Home
Stanford is 76-27 at home under head coach Johnny Dawkins. Stanford finished 12-4 at home and reached the 10-win mark at Maples Pavilion for the 21st consecutive season.
Starters Account For 87.6 Percent Of Scoring...
Head coach Johnny Dawkins used the same starting lineup of Chasson Randle, Anthony Brown, Josh Huestis, Dwight Powell and Stefan Nastic in every game this season, with the exception of a Senior Day combination that saw Brown and Nastic come off the bench. Every member of the experienced starting five, which accounted for 87.6 percent of Stanford’s overall scoring, averaged double figures aside from Nastic (7.4 ppg).
...But Here’s The Primary Reason
Consider this: Stanford received less than 10 points from its bench in 22 games. Why the lack of production? Stanford was decimated by injuries to key players who were valuable contributors the previous year. Andy Brown (torn right ACL) and Christian Sanders (hip) missed the entire season, Aaron Bright (dislocated right shoulder) appeared in the first seven games and Rosco Allen (stress fracture) played seven minutes against Cal Poly on Dec. 29.
Balanced Scoring Attack
Stanford’s 45.9 shooting percentage was its highest since the 2008-09 team connected at 46.0 percent and a noticeable improvement over the previous year’s 41.6 percent mark. Credit a shift in philosophy to the triangle offense, showcasing versatility and athleticism. There were six instances in which Stanford received at least 20 points from two players in the same game.
Cashing In From The Charity Stripe
Stanford converted 70.2 percent from the foul line and averaged 24.3 trips to the charity stripe per game. Stanford ranked 39th nationally in free throws made (616) and 36th in free throws attempted (877). At least one player made at least 10 freebies in a game on seven occasions.
Randle Triggers Stanford’s Offense
Chasson Randle rebounded successfully from a sophomore slump, averaging a team-high 18.8 points (ranking third Pac-12, 56th nationally) while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 76.7 percent from the foul line. Randle reached double-figure scoring in all but two games while matching his career high of 33 points twice. Named an all-conference pick for the first time in his career, Randle scored at least 20 points in six of Stanford’s final eight games and 16 overall. Randle’s 675 points rank fourth-best in school history for a single season.
Powell Displays Dynamic All-Around Game
Dwight Powell averaged 14.0 points and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 46.2 percent overall. A two-time All-Pac-12 First Team honoree, Powell notched seven double-doubles while scoring in double figures 28 times. Playing the role of an athletic 6-10 “point forward”, Powell dished out a team-best 112 assists (3.1 per game) and led the club with 47 steals. Powell ranked third on the squad in those same two categories two years ago, so his production was no fluke. Starting all 36 games, Powell wrapped up his career as the school record holder in games played (136).
Brown’s Return Provides Immediate Boost
Anthony Brown successfully returned to action after missing all but four games in 2012-13 due to a hip injury. Reaching double figures in 25 games, Brown averaged 12.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 45.3 percent from three-point range. His slashing, attacking style of play resulted in an 78.5 percent ledger from the foul line. Brown provided Stanford with length and athleticism while serving as its best perimeter defender.
Huestis Solidifies Defensive Reputation
Josh Huestis continued to prove why he was one of the Pac-12’s premier defensive performers, earning All-Defensive Team accolades for the third consecutive season. Huestis averaged 11.2 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1 percent overall and 62.7 percent from the foul line. Racking up seven double-doubles, Huestis competed in 135 career games, ranking second-best in school history while his 834 career rebounds are good for eighth on the all-time Cardinal list.
Huestis Owns Stanford’s Career Block Record
In an 80-59 rout of USC on Feb. 20, Huestis hauled down a career-high 18 rebounds and also became Stanford’s all-time leading shot-blocker. Huestis finished his career on The Farm with 190 swats - quite an accomplishment for a player who stands only 6-7. Huestis tallied three blocks in the game to increase his career total to 169 and surpass the previous school record of 167 established by Tim Young (1994-99). Huestis’ record-breaking block came with 18:08 left in the second half, swatting a layup try from Strahinja Gavrilovic. All three of his blocks in the game came against Gavrilovic. At 6-7, Huestis is nearly half a foot shorter than seven-footers Tim Young (167 - 2nd), Robin Lopez (156 - 3rd) and Curtis Borchardt (146 - 4th). Huestis did the bulk of his damage in essentially three years, totaling 69 blocks this year after 71 as a junior and 43 as a sophomore. Huestis blocked only seven shots as a freshman.
Nastic Anchoring The Frontcourt
Playing regularly for the first time in his career, Stefan Nastic averaged 7.2 points and 2.9 rebounds. Nastic scored in double figures 12 times, a feat he had accomplished only twice in 53 career games prior to this year. In addition to shooting 57.4 percent overall, Nastic was also a capable free throw shooter (63.5 percent). A skilled passer with solid footwork, Nastic boasted consecutive made field goal streaks of 16 (snapped against New Mexico on March 21) and 14 (snapped against California on Jan. 2). Back in November, Nastic saw his streak of 16 straight made free throws dating back to last year come to an end.
Strong Semifinal Run At Pac-12 Tournament
Seeded No. 6, Stanford reached the semifinals for the first time since 2010 after defeating Washington State 74-63 and Arizona State 79-58 before three games in three days caught up with the Cardinal. Against Washington State, Chasson Randle scored a team-high 22 points to lead all five starters in double figures. Stanford shot 58.5 percent and was 21-24 from the foul line. Against Arizona State, Chasson Randle poured in a team-high 21 points as Stanford shot 70.8 percent in the second half and held a 34-23 rebounding edge. Against UCLA, Stanford trailed throughout the entire contest and allowed 65.2 percent shooting, the most for an opponent since Arizona’s 70.0 percent back on March 7, 2009.
Frequent Flyers
Stanford traveled 14,591 miles during non-conference play. After visiting Denver (2,584 miles round trip), the Cardinal embarked on the first of two trips to Brooklyn (5,896 miles round trip) one week later. In December, Stanford flew to Hartford (3,043 miles one-way) before arriving in Brooklyn (120 miles one-way) via bus the next day. The leg home from Brooklyn (2,948 miles one-way) completed a grueling non-league swing.
Top-15 Recruiting Class Signed For Next Year
Stanford’s class is recognized as one of the best in the country, with Robert Cartwright (Pasadena, Calif.), Michael Humphrey (Phoenix, Ariz.), Dorian Pickens (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Reid Travis (Minneapolis, Minn.) all projected as top-100 players and four-star recruits by multiple services. Travis is Stanford’s seventh McDonald’s All-American selection overall and first since Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez were honored in 2006.
Latest Set Of Twins
Freshmen guards Malcolm Allen and Marcus Allen are only the fourth set of twins to play varsity basketball at Stanford since 1960. Twin seven-footers Brook Lopez and Robin Lopez (Fresno, Calif./San Joaquin Memorial HS) played two seasons together before both were selected in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft. All-Americans Jarron Collins and Jason Collins (North Hollywood, Calif./Harvard-Westlake HS) also both went on to play in the NBA after four-year stints on The Farm that included an NCAA Final Four appearance in 1998. Twins Don Clemetson and Doug Clemetson (Richmond, Calif./Harry Ellis HS) competed on varsity from 1960-62 after playing together on the freshman team the previous season.
Cardinal Debuts Google Glass Technology
Prior to its annual Cardinal-White scrimmage on Oct. 24, Stanford became the first college sports team to debut the revolutionary Google Glass product in real-time action during warm-ups. In conjunction with the CrowdOptic platform technology, season ticket holders in attendance were able to view the action through the student-athletes’ perspective simply by pointing their mobile device in the direction of the court. They were also able to join a Google+ hangout or view through their own Google Glass.
Season Scoring
For the 13th straight year in 2013-14, a different player led Stanford in scoring. This time around, it was Chasson Randle taking the honors with a team-best 18.8 points per game. The last player to lead the Cardinal in multiple years was Casey Jacobsen (1999-2000, 2000-2001, 2001-02).