Feb. 5, 2013

Game Notes

Stanford Cardinal (14-8, 5-4 Pac-12)
At
No. 7/7 Arizona Wildcats (19-2, 7-2 Pac-12)

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013 • 6 p.m. PT
Tucson, AZ • McKale Center (14,538)
Series History: Arizona leads 54-29
Last Meeting: Arizona 56, Stanford 43 (Feb. 4, 2012 at Stanford, CA)
Radio: KNBR 1050 AM (PBP: John Platz, Analyst: Drew Shiller)
TV: ESPNEWS (PBP: Dave Pasch, Analyst: Bill Walton)

The Opening Tip
Stanford (14-8, 5-4 Pac-12) embarks on a crucial road trip to the desert as the second half of Pac-12 begins. The Cardinal will play its fourth nationally-ranked opponent of the season, facing No. 7/7 Arizona (19-2, 7-2 Pac-12) on Wednesday night as the road swing gets underway. Stanford will be attempting to knock off its second top-10 team in as many weeks, after dismantling No. 10/12 Oregon 76-52 at home last Wednesday.

Media Memo
Wednesday's game can be heard live on KNBR 1050 AM and Stanford's official athletics website, www.gostanford.com, featuring the chemistry-rich duo of John Platz (play-by-play) and Drew Shiller (analyst). The game will be televised on ESPNEWS, with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Bill Walton (analyst) describing the action.

Scouting No. 7/7 Arizona
No. 7/7 Arizona (19-2, 7-2 Pac-12) enters the week tied with Oregon for first place in the conference after coming off a sweep of the Washington schools ... The Wildcats, who raced out to a blistering 14-0 start, have won three in a row ... Arizona has been ranked no lower than No. 12 in both national polls for every week ... The Wildcats were picked first in the Pac-12 preseason media poll, coming off a 23-12 campaign last year in which they qualified for the NIT ... Arizona ranks as the Pac-12's second-highest scoring team at 74.8 points per game. The Wildcats shoot 36.0 percent from beyond the arc and 75.8 percent from the foul line ... Keep an eye on: Mark Lyons (14.9 ppg, 87.2 percent free throws, 61 assists), Solomon Hill (13.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 42.0 percent 3FG) and Nick Johnson (13.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 46 steals).

Stanford All-Time vs. Arizona
Arizona owns a 54-29 all-time advantage and has won six straight in the series, which dates back to the 1937-38 campaign. Arizona collected a 56-43 victory last year at Maples Pavilion in the only meeting between the schools. Close games have been the norm as 20 of the last 26 contests decided by 10 points or less. Stanford's most recent victory in Tucson came back on Feb. 16, 2008, when a last-second block by Robin Lopez secured a 67-66 victory.

Notable Career Totals Against Arizona
No current Stanford player has totaled more than six baskets or 16 points against Arizona. In three career games, Dwight Powell has totaled 13 points on 5-16 (31.2 percent) shooting while averaging 4.3 rebounds. Aaron Bright has averaged 5.3 points over three games but he's been limited to 6-25 (24.0 percent) shooting while dishing out seven assists. John Gage is 3-8 from the field (all three-pointers) in two career games.

Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge
Head coach Johnny Dawkins is proud to support the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula through his participation in Infiniti's ongoing partnership with the NABC, the NCAA and ESPN in the Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge. The program includes a $100,000 donation to the winning coach's designated charity. Fan participation will determine the winner over an eight-week period that runs until Feb. 27 on www.ESPN.com/Infiniti. Fans can vote for up to four coaches per day. The winning coach will be announced March 11.

Stanford Against The Top-25
Stanford is 4-11 all-time against top-25 teams under head coach Johnny Dawkins. The Cardinal is 1-2 against such teams this year, routing No. 10/12 Oregon 76-52 last week while dropping contests to No. 13/14 Missouri (78-70) and No. 25/- NC State (88-79). Arizona enters the game ranked No. 7 in both polls, meaning the Wildcats would be the highest-ranked opponent Stanford has beaten since a 75-68 win over No. 3/2 UCLA on Jan. 28, 2007.
* Opponent rankings listed Associated Press poll first, USA Today second.

Takeaways From The Oregon State Game
Chasson Randle scored 20 points while Josh Huestis notched a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds as Stanford pulled away from Oregon State 81-73 ... Stanford finished 14-25 from three-point territory, representing its best total from beyond the arc since a 15-33 performance at Arizona back on March 7, 2009 ... The Cardinal dished out 19 assists on 26 buckets and committed a season-low four turnovers ... Stanford entered the game shooting 73.8 percent from the foul line, but made only 15-22 on Sunday. However, the Cardinal knocked down its freebies at the most critical juncture (8-8 in the final minute) ... Stanford prevailed despite being outrebounded 38-28, as Oregon State held a 38-16 edge in points in the paint ... Chasson Randle (20 points on 6-11 FG, 4-6 3FG, 4-6 FT) became the first Cardinal player to reach the 20-point plateau since Aaron Bright scored 21 against Washington State on Jan. 9 ... In three career games against Oregon State, Chasson Randle has scored 68 points combined ... John Gage chipped in with 12 points off the bench. Gage, who is the Pac-12's leading three-point shooter at 48.3 percent, was 3-6 from beyond the arc ... Underrated performer: Gabriel Harris chipped in with seven points in 14 minutes off the bench, grabbing three rebounds and playing stingy defense ... The Cardinal has now made at least one three-pointer in 377 consecutive games, dating back to an 0-6 performance against Purdue in the John Wooden Tradition on Nov. 24, 2001.

Josh Huestis Named Pac-12 Player of the Week
Josh Huestis was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for Jan. 28-Feb. 3, averaging 15.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 68.8 percent overall and 77.8 percent from the foul line during a homestand sweep of the Oregon and Oregon State. The honor is the first for a Stanford player since Landry Fields earned the conference's weekly recognition back on Feb. 22, 2010. In the 76-52 upset of No. 10/12 Oregon, Huestis tallied 14 points (6-9 FG), 13 rebounds and three blocks in 29 minutes. In the 81-73 win over Oregon State, Huestis finished with 16 points (5-7 FG) and 13 boards while dishing out a career-high four assists.

Pac-12 Winning Streak Increases To 3
Stanford is riding a three-game winning streak in conference play for only the second time during the last five seasons. Last year, Stanford defeated Oregon State (Jan. 7), Utah (Jan. 12) and Colorado (Jan. 14) in succession before falling at Washington State (Jan. 19). Stanford last won four consecutive league games in late February of the 2008 campaign.

5-4 At The Turn
For the second consecutive season, Stanford finds itself 5-4 at the turn in league play. The Cardinal's previous best mark at the conference midway point was a 7-2 ledger in 2008.

One Year Away From Tucson
Due to the Pac-12's unbalanced schedule, Stanford missed the Arizona road trip last year. The Cardinal's last visit to the McKale Center was Jan. 8, 2011, a contest that was pushed back one day after a mass shooting in suburban Tucson left six people dead and critically wounded U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Three players who receive extended minutes did not play in that game: Chasson Randle (sophomore), Andy Brown (redshirt) and John Gage (DNP).

What's Worked Over The Last 3?
Stanford has exploded offensively over the last three games, averaging 81.3 points. The Cardinal is shooting 48.8 percent overall, but even better from three-point territory at 57.4 percent. Four different players are averaging double figures in scoring. Most importantly, Stanford's ball movement has been crisp and efficient (16.3 assists per game) while a smothering defense has forced the opposition into 16.3 turnovers.

Road Unkind In Conference Play
Stanford is 10-30 on the road in conference play dating back to the 2008-09 campaign. The Cardinal is 1-3 away from home so far this year in Pac-12 competition, with the lone win coming in the form of an 87-56 crushing of Utah back on Jan. 27. The Cardinal was 3-6 in Pac-12 action last year, tallying wins at Oregon State, USC and Colorado.

Randle Producing Over Last Eight Games
A season of early struggles for Chasson Randle hit rock bottom against USC back on Jan. 3, as the sophomore guard was held scoreless for the first time in his career. Since that contest, Randle has caught fire. Over the last eight games, Randle is averaging 16.6 points while making 43.4 percent overall and 51.4 percent from long distance. For the season, Randle ranks second on the team in scoring (14.2 ppg) and first in assists (62) and steals (33) while excelling from the foul line (74-92, 80.4 percent).

Powell Continues To Pace The Cardinal
Fully healthy and contributing consistently, Dwight Powell is showcasing the type of dynamic all-around game many expected when he first arrived on The Farm. In addition to averaging 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds, Powell is shooting 46.8 percent overall and 77.8 percent from the foul line. A 2011 Pac-10 All-Freshman pick, Powell has notched five double-doubles while establishing career highs in every category, including points (29) and rebounds (13).

Huestis Simply Dominating The Glass
Josh Huestis has developed into one of the Pac-12's premier defensive performers. Huestis, who tallied 10 blocks against Seattle back on Nov. 28, leads the team in that category with 46 and his 2.1 swats per game rank 46th nationally. Huestis has registered 96 career blocks, good for seventh all-time in school history behind Brook Lopez (2006-08) with 101. Meanwhile, Huestis leads the Cardinal at 9.3 boards per game, looking to become the first player to average 10.0 rebounds since Curtis Borchardt (2001-02).

Gage Provides Boost Off The Bench
The Pac-12's top three-point shooter at 48.3 percent, John Gage contributed a career-high 19 points at Utah on Jan. 27. As usual, Gage was extremely efficient, doing his damage in only 17 minutes thanks to a 4-4 performance from beyond the arc. It was the seventh time this year Gage had reached double figures in scoring. The key for Gage has been simply staying on the floor. In games where Gage plays at least 15 minutes, he is averaging 9.9 points while shooting 38-74 (51.4 percent) overall and 27-49 (55.1 percent) from three-point territory.

Brown A Key Reserve Off The Bench
Andy Brown, who appeared in just nine games last year after recovering from three ACL tears in three seasons, has seized his opportunity to make a difference. Brown is averaging 6.3 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 48.6 percent. Brown, who has started eight games, matched a career high with 17 points in a Jan. 3 loss at USC. In addition to providing a much-needed leadership presence, Brown's hustle and basketball IQ have been welcomed assets.

Allen Delivering From The Line
Freshman Rosco Allen has showed promise, averaging 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds while making seven starts. Allen's shooting totals are improving after a slow start, and the rookie has displayed a knack for drawing contact and getting to the line. Allen has totaled nearly as many free throw attempts (53) as field goal tries (64). Allen is 67.9 percent from the foul line.

12 Different Starters To Date
Of Stanford's 14 players who have appeared in a game this year, 12 have made at least one start. Andy Brown and John Gage became the latest players to crack the starting lineup when both received nods during a Jan. 5 loss at UCLA. Only Grant Verhoeven and Wade Morgan have yet to start a game. Head coach Johnny Dawkins has used nine starting lineups this year.

Cardinal Exceptional From The Charity Stripe
Stanford is converting at a 73.6 percent clip that ranks 41st in the country. Only once in the last six years has Stanford finished the season making at least 70.0 percent or better, and that came in 2008-09 when the Cardinal was slightly over at 70.5 percent. Aaron Bright, who is tied for eighth in the country in free throw shooting percentage, made 29 consecutive freebies before missing the second of two attempts against Oregon on Jan. 30. Dwight Powell has enjoyed three streaks of 10+ made free throws (18, 12, 11) while Chasson Randle knocked down 15 in a row earlier this year.

Dawkins Inks Two To Letters Of Intent For 2013-14
Joining the Cardinal are Marcus Allen (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Schuyler Rimmer (Orlando, Fla.). Allen is a 6-3, 180-pound guard from Centennial High School while Rimmer is a 6-10, 235-pound center from Boone High School.