Feb. 15, 2013

Game Notes

Stanford Cardinal (15-10, 6-6 Pac-12)
vs.
UCLA Bruins (18-7, 8-4 Pac-12)

Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013 • 1 p.m.
Stanford, CA • Maples Pavilion (7,233)
Series History: UCLA leads 137-91
Last Meeting: UCLA 68, Stanford 60 (Jan. 5, 2013 at Los Angeles, CA)
Radio: KNBR 1050 AM (PBP: John Platz, Analyst: Drew Shiller)
KZSU 90.1 FM (PBP: Andrew Santana, Analyst: Lucas Prokopiak)
TV: ESPN2 (PBP: Dave Pasch, Analyst: Bill Walton)

The Opening Tip
It's a quick turnaround for both teams in a critical game, as Stanford (15-10, 6-6 Pac-12) hosts UCLA (18-7, 8-4 Pac-12) on Saturday afternoon at Maples Pavilion. The Cardinal dropped a 65-64 decision to USC on Thursday and is looking for a home split. The Bruins are coming off a 76-63 loss at California two days ago.

Remembering Peter Sauer (1976-2012)
Saturday's game will include a halftime tribute honoring Peter Sauer, a co-captain and starter on Stanford's 1998 Final Four team, who passed away at the age of 35 last July. The outgoing Sauer (1976-2012), a four-year letterwinner who graduated with an economics degree in 1999, was a member of four NCAA Tournament teams and helped Stanford claim the 1999 Pac-10 title. Sauer and his family will be recognized in the halftime ceremony.

Commemorative fan banners will be given away to the first 1,500 fans. Also, Stanford affiliates may claim a special Cardinal Combo ticket for just $15 at the door, which includes a 40-minute yoga class with Stanford's acclaimed instructor Nanci Conniff, as well as an upper end reserved seat. Yoga session begins at 12 p.m. Space is limited. Promotions | Buy Tickets

Media Memo
Saturday'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). KZSU 90.1 FM also provides coverage. The game will be televised on ESPN2, with Dave Pasch (play-by-play) and Bill Walton (analyst).

Scouting UCLA
UCLA (18-7, 8-4 Pac-12) suffered a 76-63 loss at California on Thursday night. The Golden Bears raced out to a 47-22 halftime lead and limited the Bruins to 37.7 percent shooting ... After a slow start to the year, UCLA notched a 10-game winning streak that spanned from Dec. 8-Oct. 17. The Bruins began the week in a three-way tie for first place in the Pac-12 ... Among the Bruins' non-conference opponents were Georgetown, Georgia, Long Beach State, San Diego State and Texas ... The Bruins were picked second in the Pac-12 preseason media poll and have been ranked as high as No. 11 in the national polls this year ... UCLA boasts the Pac-12's top offense, averaging 75.5 points per game while shooting 46.1 percent overall. From three-point territory, the Bruins are shooting 33.3 percent ... Look out for: Shabazz Muhammad (18.2 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 45.5 percent FG, 42.3 percent 3FG), Jordan Adams (14.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 81.9 percent free throws), Kyle Anderson (8.7 rpg).

Stanford All-Time vs. UCLA
UCLA owns a 137-91 edge in the series, which dates back to the 1924-25 campaign. The Bruins have won eight of the last 10 matchups, including a 68-60 victory at Pauley Pavilion back on Jan. 5. UCLA's last victory at Maples Pavilion came back on Feb. 17, 2011, in the form of a 69-65 decision. The teams split last year's series, with Stanford prevailing 60-59 at Maples Pavilion before UCLA defended its home court with a 72-61 victory.

Notable Career Totals Against UCLA
In three games, Chasson Randle is averaging 14.3 points despite only 16-42 shooting (38.0 percent). Dwight Powell is averaging 7.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in five career games. Aaron Bright is averaging 6.6 points but has also struggled from the field, shooting 11-36 (30.5 percent) while dishing out 12 assists in five games. Josh Huestis has yet to get on track against the Bruins, having scored just 14 points on 4-18 shooting over five games.

Takeaways From The USC Game
Jio Fontan scored 15 points and USC survived a late rally by Stanford to escape with a 65-64 victory. The Trojans led 35-23 at halftime before the Cardinal answered back ... Josh Huestis became the fourth Stanford player to reach the 20-point plateau this year, finishing with a career-high 22 points on 10-13 shooting while chipping in with two blocks ... Dwight Powell finished with 17 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, notching his eighth double-double and fourth in the last five games. Powell's 17 rebounds were the most for a Cardinal player since Brook Lopez grabbed 15 boards against Arizona on Mar. 13, 2008 ... After a scoreless first half, Chasson Randle finished with 16 points, 12 of which came off three-pointers. Randle's potential game-winning three-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer ... Stanford entered the game ranked 39th in the country in free throw shooting at 73.8 percent ... However, the Cardinal was just 4-12 overall while USC was 18-23. Stanford also entered the night connecting on a league-best 45.1 percent from three-point territory but was just 6-21 ... Chasson Randle was held without a free throw attempt in both games against USC ... The Cardinal has now made at least one three-pointer in 380 consecutive games, dating back to an 0-6 performance against Purdue in the John Wooden Tradition on Nov. 24, 2001.

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. Powell has produced double-doubles in three straight games, averaging 21.0 points and 10.3 rebounds in that span. Powell finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds on Thursday against USC in yet another "next-level" performance. In addition to averaging a team-best 15.2 points and ranking second with 8.3 rebounds, Powell is shooting 47.7 percent overall and 78.3 percent from the foul line.

Huestis Dominating The Paint
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 53 and his 2.1 swats per game rank 44th nationally. Huestis has registered 103 career blocks, good for sixth all-time in school history. Meanwhile, Huestis is averaging 10.2 points and a team-best 9.3 boards per game, looking to become the first player to average a double-double since Curtis Borchardt (16.9 ppg, 11.4 rpg) in 2001-02.