Stanford braces for challenge
USC is first to take shot at unbeaten and top-ranked Cardinal
By Glenn Reeves, STAFF WRITER
Oakland Tribune
Stanford will take the court tonight against USC an unprecedented 21-0 and ranked No.1. Try as it might to go about work as usual, there's no getting around the central fact that no Stanford team has achieved what this one has.
"There's no downplaying 21-0," Josh Childress said.
The Cardinal's 21st win last Saturday at Cal broke the school record for consecutive wins held by the 2000-2001 team, which got off to a 20-0 start and was also the last Stanford team to be ranked No.1.
The 2000-01 team, which set a school record for wins in a season with a 31-3 finish, started three current NBA players (Jason Collins, Jarron Collins and Casey Jacobsen) and had another first-round draft choice (Curtis Borchardt) coming off the bench.
"People expected more from that team," said senior center Joe Kirchofer, a redshirt freshman then. "But we know we're capable, and that's what matters, what the guys who play think."
That team three years ago knew how to stuff a stat sheet. The 2000-01 team won 15 games by 20 or more points, beating its opponents by an average of 17.7 points per game, second in the nation. It led the nation in shooting percentage at 51.1 percent and was second in 3-point shooting at 42.9 percent.
The current team doesn't compare statistically, except in the win column. There are other differences, as well.
"We all hang out a little more together," Kirchofer said. "The guys might be a little closer, spend more time together. It's a more fun locker room, all 15 guys joking."
Jacobsen was a first-team All-American that season. The current team won't have any player earn that honor because it is so balanced. Five players average between 10.4 and 12.9 points per game.
"This group has really bought into playing as a team," coach Mike Montgomery said. "It's an unselfish group. Nobody cares who scores or who gets the credit. We don't rely on any one person."
Stanford (12-0 Pac-10) will play only two more games at Maples Pavilion, next weekend against the Oregon schools. The challenges to its undefeated record and No.1 ranking begin tonight with a 7:30 game in Los Angeles at the Sports Arena against USC.
"We are excited to play the No.1 team in the country," USC coach Henry Bibby said. "We need to play fearless basketball. We need to play tough defense, get some easy baskets and limit their runs."
The Trojans (10-12, 5-8) gave the Cardinal a tough game in the first meeting, a 77-67 Stanford win Jan.24 at Maples. It was an extremely physical game with the Trojans seemingly contesting every pass.
"Just keeping our poise," Montgomery said when asked what the key will be in tonight's game. "SC has always been troublesome for us. They do a lot of different things. Henry is probably in his basement right now like a mad scientist cooking up new schemes. It's hard to simulate their quickness in practice. You go to make a pass, and they close the distance real quick."
USC has beat Stanford in four of the last seven meetings, including each of the last two Pac-10 tournaments.
"Every time we play them they're ranked high, and the atmosphere is great," Bibby said. "Our kids take their play to the next level."
Stanford concludes its L.A. trip with a game at UCLA on Saturday at 1 p.m. Wins in both games would clinch the Pac-10 championship for the Cardinal.
"We've got to seal this thing off and win the Pac-10 championship," junior center Rob Little said. "It won't be easy. We know USC will be tough at home and that UCLA is tired of us beating them at Pauley Pavilion."
Montgomery is looking forward to the trip with additional interest. He will stay in Los Angeles after the team leaves so he can watch his son, John, play basketball for Loyola Marymount on Saturday night.
USC is first to take shot at unbeaten and top-ranked Cardinal
By Glenn Reeves, STAFF WRITER
Oakland Tribune
Stanford will take the court tonight against USC an unprecedented 21-0 and ranked No.1. Try as it might to go about work as usual, there's no getting around the central fact that no Stanford team has achieved what this one has.
"There's no downplaying 21-0," Josh Childress said.
The Cardinal's 21st win last Saturday at Cal broke the school record for consecutive wins held by the 2000-2001 team, which got off to a 20-0 start and was also the last Stanford team to be ranked No.1.
The 2000-01 team, which set a school record for wins in a season with a 31-3 finish, started three current NBA players (Jason Collins, Jarron Collins and Casey Jacobsen) and had another first-round draft choice (Curtis Borchardt) coming off the bench.
"People expected more from that team," said senior center Joe Kirchofer, a redshirt freshman then. "But we know we're capable, and that's what matters, what the guys who play think."
That team three years ago knew how to stuff a stat sheet. The 2000-01 team won 15 games by 20 or more points, beating its opponents by an average of 17.7 points per game, second in the nation. It led the nation in shooting percentage at 51.1 percent and was second in 3-point shooting at 42.9 percent.
The current team doesn't compare statistically, except in the win column. There are other differences, as well.
"We all hang out a little more together," Kirchofer said. "The guys might be a little closer, spend more time together. It's a more fun locker room, all 15 guys joking."
Jacobsen was a first-team All-American that season. The current team won't have any player earn that honor because it is so balanced. Five players average between 10.4 and 12.9 points per game.
"This group has really bought into playing as a team," coach Mike Montgomery said. "It's an unselfish group. Nobody cares who scores or who gets the credit. We don't rely on any one person."
Stanford (12-0 Pac-10) will play only two more games at Maples Pavilion, next weekend against the Oregon schools. The challenges to its undefeated record and No.1 ranking begin tonight with a 7:30 game in Los Angeles at the Sports Arena against USC.
"We are excited to play the No.1 team in the country," USC coach Henry Bibby said. "We need to play fearless basketball. We need to play tough defense, get some easy baskets and limit their runs."
The Trojans (10-12, 5-8) gave the Cardinal a tough game in the first meeting, a 77-67 Stanford win Jan.24 at Maples. It was an extremely physical game with the Trojans seemingly contesting every pass.
"Just keeping our poise," Montgomery said when asked what the key will be in tonight's game. "SC has always been troublesome for us. They do a lot of different things. Henry is probably in his basement right now like a mad scientist cooking up new schemes. It's hard to simulate their quickness in practice. You go to make a pass, and they close the distance real quick."
USC has beat Stanford in four of the last seven meetings, including each of the last two Pac-10 tournaments.
"Every time we play them they're ranked high, and the atmosphere is great," Bibby said. "Our kids take their play to the next level."
Stanford concludes its L.A. trip with a game at UCLA on Saturday at 1 p.m. Wins in both games would clinch the Pac-10 championship for the Cardinal.
"We've got to seal this thing off and win the Pac-10 championship," junior center Rob Little said. "It won't be easy. We know USC will be tough at home and that UCLA is tired of us beating them at Pauley Pavilion."
Montgomery is looking forward to the trip with additional interest. He will stay in Los Angeles after the team leaves so he can watch his son, John, play basketball for Loyola Marymount on Saturday night.
