Stanford, CA – Sitting all alone atop the Pac-12 standings, the 10th-ranked Oregon Ducks head to the Bay Area to take on the Stanford Cardinal in conference action on Wednesday at Maples Pavilion.
Dana Altman's Ducks are playing at an extremely high level right now and bring a stellar 18-2 record into this contest. That includes a flawless 7-0 mark in Pac-12 play, a streak that is part of a larger nine-game win streak overall. Oregon kept its perfect league record intact last week with a pair of narrow victories at home over Washington State (68-61) and Washington (81-76).
Johnny Dawkins' Cardinal have had their ups and downs this season, resulting in a 12-8 overall mark, which includes a less than stellar 3-4 ledger in league play. The team has captured wins in two of its last three outings though and enters this contest off its most lopsided conference victory in almost a decade, blowing out Utah on the road on Sunday, 87-56.
Stanford holds a comfortable 89-47 lead in the all-time series with Oregon, but the Ducks have won the last two meetings. These two teams will square off again in Eugene on Feb. 23.
Oregon shot a scorching 57.8 percent from the floor overall, countering Washington's strong shooting (.519) to post a five-point win last weekend and remain unbeaten in league play. The real difference in the game came at the free-throw line, where the Ducks outscored the Huskies 27-14. A sloppy game overall, the two teams combined for 44 turnovers, including 23 by the host Ducks.
The Ducks are enjoying a solid +13.2 scoring margin this season, with a potent offensive attack that results in 76.2 ppg on a healthy .464 shooting. The team's overall depth is its greatest strength, as Oregon boasts of five players averaging double figures, although Dominic Artis (10.2 ppg) recently suffered a foot injury and is out indefinitely. The team has the personnel to compensate, starting with Damyean Dotson and his 11.7 ppg. E.J. Singler is next in line at 11.2 ppg, followed by Tony Woods (10.9 ppg) and Carlos Emory (10.2 ppg). Arsalan Kazemi (8.9 ppg, 9.6 rpg) is a fixture on the boards.
The Cardinal made it look easy at Utah this past weekend, shooting 50 percent from the field overall, while limiting the Utes to a mere .382 performance. Stanford also held a 43-27 advantage on the boards, leading to a 21-10 edge in second-chance points. John Gage was particularly effective, netting a game- high 19 points in just 17 minutes of work off the bench. Chasson Randle poured in 17 points, while Josh Huestis and Dwight Powell finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Things haven't come as easy for Stanford on the season. The Cardinal have struggled at times to generate offense, averaging 69.5 ppg on a rather mediocre .405 shooting. Powell and Randle are a solid one-two punch. Powell leads the team in scoring at 14.5 ppg and ranks second in rebounding (7.7 rpg). Randle adds 13.8 ppg and leads the Cardinal in assists (54). Huestis (9.1 ppg, 8.9 rpg) is a valuable commodity in the frontcourt as well.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.