Stanford Cardinal (10-3, 2-0 Pac-12)
at
UCLA Bruins (8-7, 0-2 Pac-12)
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 • 6 p.m. (PT)
Los Angeles, Calif. • Pauley Pavilion (13,800)
Series History: UCLA leads 140-92
Last Meeting: UCLA 84, Stanford 59 (March 14, 2014 at Las Vegas, Nev.)
Radio: KNBR 1050 AM (PxP: Scott Reiss, Analyst: John Platz)
TV: ESPN (PxP: Dave Pasch, Analyst: Bill Walton)
The Opening Tip
Stanford (10-3, 2-0 Pac-12) makes its first conference road trip, starting with a visit to UCLA (8-7, 0-2 Pac-12). Winners of four in a row, Stanford is receiving 29 votes in this week’s AP poll (34th overall) and 20 votes in the USA Today Coaches poll (T31st).
Scouting UCLA
UCLA (8-7, 0-2 Pac-12) won four in a row to start the season and eight of its first 10 games overall. Since that point, the Bruins have dropped five in a row ... The Bruins played a challenging nonconference slate, facing the likes of Oklahoma, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Kentucky and Alabama ... UCLA is averaging 71.9 points and 40.8 rebounds while making 41.4 percent. However, the Bruins are committing 13.2 turnovers per game and surrendering 70.2 points ... Look out for: Bryce Alford (15.7 ppg, team-best 32 three-pointers, 88 assists), Norman Powell (15.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 28 steals), Kevon Looney (12.0 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 21 blocks).
Stanford All-Time vs. UCLA
UCLA owns a 140-92 edge in the series, which dates back to the 1924-25 campaign. The Bruins have won eight of the last 10, including two of the three meetings from last season. Stanford is looking to snap a string of nine consecutive road losses in Westwood, last winning at UCLA on Jan. 20, 2005.
Notable Career Totals Against UCLA
In seven career games, Chasson Randle is averaging 15.8 points despite shooting 38-98 (38.7 percent). Randle has made 18 three-pointers against both UCLA and Colorado, his most against any Pac-12 foe. Also in seven games, Anthony Brown is averaging 9.8 points while shooting 25-57 (43.8 percent) overall.
SoCal Struggles
The Southern California swing has not been kind to Stanford in recent seasons, as the Cardinal has dropped 16 of its last 18 against both LA schools combined (0-9 vs. UCLA, 2-7 vs. USC). Stanford, which earned a split here last season, has not swept the SoCal trip since 2005, defeating UCLA 75-64 before taking down USC 78-70.
Fifth In Pac-12 Preseason Media Poll
Stanford is seeking its first 3-0 start in conference play since 2004, when the Cardinal won its first 26 games of the season. The Cardinal will play the Oregon schools once (at home in March) and the mountain schools once (traveling to Utah and then Colorado).
Takeaways From The No. 21/19 Washington Game
Chasson Randle scored a game-high 24 points (9-21 FG, 5-5 FT), including the tying bucket in regulation to force overtime in Stanford’s 68-60 victory over No. 21/19 Washington ... Stanford, which also upset No. 9/9 Texas 74-71 in overtime on Dec. 23, has won seven of its last 10 games against top-25 foes and is 11-16 under head coach Johnny Dawkins ... Anthony Brown added 16 points (9-13 FT) while Stefan Nastic (10 points, 11 rebounds) notched his third double-double of the season ... Rosco Allen grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to go with eight points off the bench ... The Cardinal limited the Huskies to 38.2 percent shooting, forced 19 turnovers and racked up 11 steals. Stanford also held a 38-37 rebounding edge ... Stanford has won 12 of its past 14 games played on Sunday dating back to 2012. The Cardinal is 2-1 on Sunday this season with four such games remaining.
Why The Four-Game Win Streak?
Stanford is enjoying its longest winning streak of the season, which began on Dec. 23 against No. 9/9 Texas. Here are a few reasons for the winning streak:
A stingy defense, which has surrendered only 56.5 points while holding opponents to 37.4 percent shooting overall and 31.3 percent from three-point range ... The Cardinal has forced 16.0 turnovers per game, including 19 against Washington ... Anthony Brown has been lights-out, averaging 17.5 points while shooting 47.9 percent overall. Brown is 10-15 from long distance and 14-18 from the free throw line ... A shift to the bench has paid dividends for Rosco Allen, who is averaging 8.3 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 52.0 percent overall and 6-13 from three-point range.
Randle Becomes Stanford’s Three-Point King
Chasson Randle became Stanford’s career leader in three-point field goals with triple at the 8:49 mark of the second half against Washington on Jan. 4. Randle increased his career total to 242 three-pointers, passing previous record holder Dion Cross (1992-96) at 241. Randle knocked down a freshman-record 85, made 61 as a sophomore and 68 as a junior. Of his 242 career triples, 127 have come in the first half, 110 in the second half and five in overtime.
Pattern Of Slow Starts
Stanford has encountered double-digit deficits in the first half of six games this season, rallying to win four times. The 12-point hole Stanford faced against Loyola Marymount on Dec. 17 was its largest deficit overcome since last season’s 53-51 December road upset at No. 10/10 Connecticut, when the Cardinal trailed 43-30 with 16:48 remaining in the second half.
Randle Named Pac-12 Player of the Week
Chasson Randle was named Pac-12 Player of the Week for Dec. 29-Jan. 4, earning his second career honor and following up Anthony Brown (Dec. 22-28). The last time Stanford claimed back-to-back weekly conference awards was 2006, during a three-week stretch recognizing Matt Haryasz (Jan. 23 and Jan. 30) and Chris Hernandez (Feb. 6) among the Pac-10’s best.
10th-Fewest Turnovers In Nation
Stanford has excelled at taking care of the basketball, with its 134 turnovers representing the 10th-fewest total in the country. The Cardinal has committed 10 miscues or less in eight games this season, averaging only 10.3 per game.
