The Stanford men’s basketball team (7-12, 2-7 Pac-12) earned their second Pac-12 win of the season against Oregon (11-9, 5-4 Pac-12) on Saturday with a final score of 71-64. After starting conference play 0-7, the Cardinal have now won two straight conference games.
The Cardinal offense got into an early rhythm, scoring easy baskets off turnovers while also running an efficient half-court offense. Stanford was efficient from beyond the arc, making five of their first six 3-point attempts. The team’s early success shooting from the perimeter created greater driving lanes later in the half. Stanford’s lead ballooned to as many as 9 points within the first eight minutes.
However, the Ducks were able to linger around thanks to prolific perimeter shooting of their own, stroking six 3-pointers in the first half. Guard Jermaine Cousinard led a balanced scoring attack with 9 points, while star center N’Faly Dante followed with 8 points. Oregon’s offensive play allowed them to stay within one-to-two possessions of Stanford in the remainder of the first half.
But despite their efforts, the Ducks were never able to reclaim the lead due to timely baskets by the Cardinal that stymied Oregon’s momentum. The Ducks also began to go cold from the field, unable to convert a field goal in the last 3:26 of the first half.
Stanford took a slight 42-37 lead into halftime. Senior forward Spencer Jones led the team in scoring with 8 points, while sophomore guard Isa Silva and sophomore forward Harrison Ingram chipped in 6 points each. The Cardinal shot a whopping 67% from the field and 58% from the 3-point line.
Stanford continued its productive offensive play in the second half, starting the half on a 10-2 run to extend its lead to double-digits. Meanwhile, the Cardinal ramped up their defensive effort, forcing Oregon to make just four of their first 18 field goal attempts. Even after cooling down offensively toward the middle of the second half, Stanford’s defense allowed them to maintain a solid lead throughout the second half. However, the Ducks had their part in facing a double-digit deficit, as the team was unable to convert many close shots at the rim.
“We put a great premium on keeping the ball out of the paint, and so to do that and then contest threes is a real challenge because we’re not necessarily the quickest team in the world,” said head coach Jerod Haase. “But I was really pleased with the guys in terms of executing the scouting report, taking away threes, but doing so in a way that didn’t jeopardize having the guys go by us.”
After a 3:54 dry spell from both teams, Stanford was able to stretch its lead all the way out to 17 in just under two minutes to put the game away. A last-second comeback effort by the Ducks fell short, and the Cardinal were able to secure their second-straight conference win, providing the team momentum going forward.
“It feels great. Especially for the young guys, the momentum really helps them,” Spencer Jones said after the game. “The older guys, you know, you try to keep everybody steady. Whether you’re winning or losing, you try to keep the same mindset. But for the younger guys they really feed off momentum and energy.”
Up next, the Cardinal will play a non-conference game against Chicago State (4-16) on Wednesday before their rematch against the California Golden Bears (3-16, 2-6 Pac-12) on Jan. 28. Cal defeated Stanford by 22 points in the first matchup earlier this season, so the Cardinal will be looking to exact revenge.
Tip-off against Chicago State is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT on Wednesday at Maples Pavilion.