Bay Area Showdown: UW vs. Stanford Preview

The Match Up: Washington Huskies at Stanford Cardinal

Game Info: 1/18/14, 8 p.m. tip off at Maples Pavilion

TV Info: ESPNU Radio: Sports Radio KJR 950

Record: 11-5 overall, 2-2 Pac-12

Coach- Johnny Dawkins: In his fifth season with Stanford, Dawkins has compiled a record of 105-79. Before coming to Stanford he was the assistant at Duke for 11 years under Coach K. Dawkins is the second all time leading scorer at Duke and also won the Naismith Player of the Year award. He was the 10^th pick in the 1986 NBA draft and played for nine seasons in the pros. Dawkins is believed to be on the hot seat after not making the NCAA tournament the past four seasons.

Series: Stanford leads the all time series against the Huskies 70-68, with the first game being played on Feb.1, 1916. The Huskies have won nine of the last ten meetings and Lorenzo Romar holds a 15-9 record against the Cardinal. Romar is 3-7 at Maples Pavilion during his coaching career.

Scouting Report

• Stanford has one of the better starting fives in the conference but injuries have thinned out their reserves. This has been a concern for the Cardinal, whose bench accounts for just 15% of their points. Center Stefan Nastic is the only player in the starting five not averaging double digit points per game.
• The Cardinal have earned two road wins over top 25 teams for the first time since 2002 with wins over UConn and Oregon this season. At home, Stanford is 6-1 on the season and 71-25 under coach Dawkins at Maples Pavilion.
• Former Bellevue HS star Aaron Bright is a senior for the Cardinal but suffered a shoulder injury that will sideline him for the season. Bright will attempt to get an extra year from the NCAA and may look to transfer to a school closer to home.

Players To Watch

Chasson Randle- 6’2 guard- Randle has improved in almost every statistical category after struggling his sophomore season. Averaging a team high 18.6 PPG, Randle is shooting an impressive 50% from the field and 42% from three. Randle has scored in double figures in all of two of Stanford’s games and has gone over the 30 point mark twice. He isn't a play making guard but finds a way to put the ball through the hoop.

Dwight Powell- 6’10 Power Forward- A senior from Toronto, Powell is a do it all player, averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds, and a team high 4.3 assists per game.  Powell is a miss-match nightmare who has guards’ skills and can shoot from mid-range.  Powell is a solid defender in the post and also leads the team with 25 steals. A preseason Wooden award finalist, Powell has recorded four double doubles on the season.

The Huskies Win If…

They get off to a fast start. We saw what poor shooting can do to the Huskies on Tuesday night, and UW can’t afford to start slow against Stanford. So far this season, Stanford is 8-0 when leading at the half so if the Huskies can build a lead early they have a great shot at getting a W.  Stanford’s size in the post may be a problem for the Huskies so look for defensive rebounding numbers to sway the outcome. Andrew Andrews and Nigel Williams-Goss will need to have bounce back games to bring home a win from the road trip.

Closing Comments

After laying an egg against Cal, the Huskies desperately need to steal one on the road Saturday night and avoid the sweep. This game may prove if the Huskies have a true shot at the NCAA tourney or if they are just another team in the middle of the pack. I think this one will be close and I predict a 70-67 victory for the Huskies.

Leave your comments and prediction for tonight’s game below. Go Dawgs!