Duke over the years has been an guilty of under-achieving in March but their modus operandi is completely different than the Cardinal’s. Stanford relies on the big men while Duke is all about the guards. The Blue Devils this past year were phenomenal ball handlers but where was the fire? It’s true that they more closely resembled a cross country team than a basketball team but you can still take a dominant posture during competition.

To get to the Sweet 16 sans Lopez, Dawkins must instill a gun-slinger mindset in the team. Meaning shoot first, don’t worry about the questions later. The team needs to have a swagger like they know they are going to win, similar to a Kansas or Memphis.

This will definitely be an interesting era for Stanford basketball but before it begins Dawkins needs to go to Beijing and help Coack K and the USA men’s basketball team win gold. Will the US win gold? Will Dawkins elevate guard play at Stanford? Tune in and find out!

ShareThis

Scout.com has done a great job of tracking and ranking recruits. According to their Top 100, 17 of those players are headed to the PAC-10. It’s no surprise UCLA leads the way with four. Oregon, Washington and Arizona each landed three. In fact, every PAC-10 team except Oregon State and Arizona State received a commitment from atleast one.

The Cardinal’s blue-chipper looks to be exactly what they need - size and shot blocking. Miles Plumlee out of Arden, North Carolina looks like he should be able to fill the shoes of Taj Finger. He has the natural talent and basketball IQ but lacks strength and perimeter shooting - he’ll fit right in. He is definitely no Lopez but it will not take long for him to make a name for himself.

New Head Coach   

The interview process has started and to our knowledge Chris Lowery has yet to buy a plane ticket west. The first interview was in-house. Doug Oliver, Stanford’s assistant coach, got the first nod. He is best known for his damage control against Marquette when Trent Johnson got the old heave-ho. In a very stressful situation he looked more relaxed than Johnson and very confident.

His calm demeanor might have been because a loss in that game would have been pinned to Johnson for being kicked-out. In essence, he had nothing to lose, it showed, and the team played a better brand of ball. The only knock against him is his history with previous Stanford coaches. He coached under Mike Montgomery, now Montgomery is at Cal, advantage Cal.

There is no doubt that Doug Oliver is a great coach and more than capable of leading the Cardinal to a successful season. He has been instrumental in previous season for the Cardinal, is deserving of the job, blah blah blah. However, Stanford needs young blood with no allegiance to past programs. A completely new face is the only way Stanford can produce a team that shoots from the hip, enough with the calculating apprehension. 

ShareThis

UCLA

Kevin Love - This really wasn’t a surprise. He is the quintessential UCLA big man. He hustles, get his points and makes everyone around him better. There were times during the season when a his lack of maturity showed but he is definitely ready to take the next step.

Darren Collison and Russell Westbrook - These two were a little more surprising. It makes sense though. If you are on the fence about going pro and then the team’s foundation leaves why not leave as well. Collison and Westbrook made a living off of opponents double-teaming Love. They are excellent ball handlers, can hit the big shots but both could have used another year considering some lackluster performances in the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA’s head coach Ben Howland will have his hands full this offseason as he tries to find 44.7 points a game from somewhere else (Love 17.5, Collison 14.5, and Westbrook 12.7). Making up those kind of numbers will not be an easy task but Howland has established himself as an excellent recruiter. They should not win the PAC-10 but they will definitely contend.

USC

O.J. Mayo - The best O.J. to come out of USC in a long time. This move was absolutely expected. Since Mayo walked onto campus everyone knew it was only a one year gig. He averaged over 20 points a game and was often times the sole reason USC basketball games received national television exposure.

Arizona

Jerryd Bayless - He averaged close to 20 points a game while shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. He was instrumental in Arizona’s successes this season and had the ability to take over games. He lit up the Cardinal a couple of times in losing efforts. It will be great to see him go.

Chase Budinger - Chase who? Exactly. Well, he averaged 17 points per game and did pretty well this season considering Arizona’s lack of offensive weapons. However, he did leave options open by not signing with an agent so technically he can still return to school.

So, now that the best of the PAC-10 have followed, the loss of Brook and Robin does seem quite so bad. Next up, we’ll be looking at the arrivals. Will UCLA get another K. Love? Can USC land another blue chip? Tune in and find out!  

ShareThis

1. He used to be a point guard - Stanford’s greatest weakness this past year was guard play. The backcourt was anxious, apprehensive and only looked composed when a big man had the ball. Lowery will instill confidence and get the guards playing to their full potential. Anthony Goods and Mitch Johnson have the potential to be one of the most prolific backcourt tandems in the country next year if they have the proper guidance.
2. He’s young - Stanford needs energy and not the kind that gets the coach kicked out of the game. Lowery brings enthusiasm and vigor to every game. The Cardinal need a sideline with energy and the occasional smile never hurts.
3. He gets to the Big Dance and wins - Stanford has a history of great regular seasons and then folding in March. They constantly under-perform when it’s one and done.
4. His teams attack - Enough of the calculating, reserved play. The game of basketball is not played on a chessboard. College basketball is a fast paced, up-and-down game won by high-octane teams. The PAC-10’s grind it out style got embarrassed by fast teams this past March and this trend will continue.
5. He has had no experience with the Stanford team - He is totally new to the program. Lowery will bring in his own system and not be concerned with what the Cardinal have done in previous years. He is a fresh face to the PAC-10 and that unknown will make scouting a difficult for opponents.

Well, if Stanford can’t get Chris Lowery maybe they can convince Jim Harbaugh to coach the basketball team as well. After all, inspiration and energy take teams much further than tactics. Who will be the next coach? Tune in and find out!   

ShareThis

First, the Lopez twins both declared for the NBA draft. This was to be expected to some degree, mostly due to their physical attributes, but should both have gone? I guess this question really does not matter now. They are gone. Add Taj Finger’s graduation and the Cardinal have a huge deficit in the front court. However, there is a bright side. Looking at the NCAA Tournament, the most successful teams had excellent guard play with the big men only accenting the team play. Losing the Lopez twins will force Stanford’s guards to develop their own identity. Hopefully, they can rise to the challenge.

Second, Mike Montgomery took the job at Cal. What? The greatest Stanford men’s basketball coach moving across the bay to coach Cal does not make sense. We can only imagine what he can do without being handicapped by admissions. Fortunately, it will take Mike a couple of years to get the right personnel in place but still, is there no allegiance?

Third, and perhaps most shocking, is Trent Johnson’s departure for LSU. The PAC-10 coach of the year leaves for LSU? What happened to Trent ending his coaching career at the Farm? This may actually be a good development. With Stanford forced to rely on guard play now that all of the seasoned big men have left a young aggressive coach would be the perfect match.

The perfect match would be to court Mark Few out of Gonzaga. He has built teams around amazing guards, spot up shooting and hustling big men. However, Gonzaga is a pretty sweet deal. Another great candidate would be Chris Lowery out of Southern Illinois. He has developed a program from nothing. If you can get Carbondale excited about basketball then Palo Alto is piece of cake.

At the end of the day Stanford needs to find a young, aggressive coach to take over and develop a new identity. PAC-10 basketball as we know it cannot handle NCAA Tournament competition. To win in March a team has to be quick, aggressive, and fearless. This year, Stanford was slow, calculating, and apprehensive. Something needs to change for success. Will Stanford make a step in the right direction? Can they develop a new identity? Tune in and find out!

ShareThis

A cool and confident Texas showed up with one thing on their mind, win. Whatever Stanford threw at them they answered. Never flustered, just full of purpose. Excellent guard play led by D.J. Augustin’s 21 points kept the Longhorns ahead.

30-11 run to end the game is all we need to know. Less than 30% shooting from the floor in the second half never wins games either. The killer is Stanford had the horsepower to win the game. They have the size, defense and spot shooters but nobody either than the Lopezs showed up.

All season long Stanford has lost to the teams they felt were superior and today was no exception. Too much apprehension led to predictable play that gave them the victory the majority of the time. However, in big time games everyone delegated the responsibility of winning to Brook and Robin.

It was a remarkable season. Will the Lopezs stick around and run the tables next year? Will the Cardinal loosen up and take the PAC-10? Tune in and find out!

ShareThis

Guards D.J. Augustin and A.J. Abrams lead the way for the Longhorns averaging 19.2 and 16.6 points respectively. Their fast pace and potency beyond the arc spark the Texas offense that lacks a dominating interior presence. Entering the game Texas also had a close call brought by Miami.

Stanford operates by a simple principle: beat the weaker team. If the Cardinal perceive the other team to be weaker then they win. This mindset is why UCLA has won all three games. Entering this next game Texas has a better seed, better national ranking and they’ll be in Houston. Very few times this year have the Cardinal exceeded expectations, now would be a great time to start.

The key for Stanford is Johnson and Johnson. Trent and Mitch need to relax and have some fun. For some reason, when Mitch’s legs are moving his passing is horrible. And Trent, what does Trent look like when he is smiling? Stanford has the firepower and skills to get the job done but can they overcome a hostile crowd? And the deadly Texas back-court? Tune in and find out!

ShareThis

It all begins today vs. Cornell. Thanks for playing Cornell, time for you to get back to class. Should be quick and painless - for both teams.

The key to the game is developing confidence in their outside shooting. Not that it will be a factor against Cornell but 3-point shooting will be a necessity against their second round match-up. Too many times this season the Cardinal completely rely on Lopez and Lopez inside. Their talents are no longer a secret to the nation. Opponents will give new looks on defense. In addition, all of their potential opponents - Marquette, Kentucky, Texas, and Memphis - all play a very high octane game. They all have speed, great spot shooting and quick hands on defense.

To be successful this March, Brook and Robin need to be compliments in the offense, not the entire offense. The perimeter players need to have the same confidence with the ball as they do when a Lopez has the ball. That is what it boils down to. The Cardinal defense is best in the business but the offense has to step up. Will the Cardinal get dominanting guard play? Can they play to their full potential? Tune in and find out! 

ShareThis

1. Location: these games already have enough stress. Each team has to deal with the press, play a completely unfamiliar team, and play in a new arena. It is a huge benefit to play close to home. You don’t have to worry about travel and neither do your fans. Having a home crowd feel definitely adds to the motivation and resiliency of a team. When in doubt, pick the team closer to home.
2. Coaching Presence: March Madness is simple, you lose and that’s it. Every game is a season with unlimited possibilities and it all begins with the coach. For 40 minutes the head coach needs to own the arena. He needs to pick players up when their down and get them focused when the emotions take over. He must appear composed and confident regardless of what is thrown at him. Which coach looks like they would win in a fight? Which coach looks like with two phone calls he could put a mafia hit on you?
3. Seniors: Every game could be their last. Every tick off the clock could be one second closer to ending their college career. This motivation is huge. Not only do seniors offer the composed leadership necessary for team success they also want to keep playing. How many impact seniors does the team have?
4. Strength of Schedule: We are not talking about that simple formula that produces a number that is supposed to be significant. Ignore the numbers. Look for the team that played top talent on the road and left with a win. Can the team handle hostile environments and still play well? Are they used to playing great teams?
5. Distribution of Scoring: Ok, this one is based on the numbers. What happens when the top scorer is not the top scorer? Anything can happen in a one and done format. The more players who average double digits in scoring, the more options a team has. If a team knows someone else will pick up the load then this adds to resiliency and makes the team stronger. How many players produce consistently on offense?
6. Motivational Climate: Every game matters but some mean more than others. It is easy for high-seeded teams to overlook their first round opponent because the next game will probably have a great team. It is not difficult for a Kansas to overlook Bucknell or everyone to overlook George Mason. But Bucknell and G.M. weren’t overlooking anyone. What team is more motivated to be in that game?
7. Ignore the Seeds: Truly, the only thing the seeds provide is a talking point for analysts and a marketing tool for CBS. No one gets very excited about a 1 v. 16 or 2 v. 15 but 7 v. 10 is pretty interesting. Don’t get sucked into the preconceived notion that seeds actually mean something to both teams involved. When the underdogs win, their seed obviously didn’t mean squat.
8. Habits: winning is a habit. Teams grow accustomed to winning and expect to win. Appalachian State beat Michigan in football because they expected to win that game because that is what their program does, win. The team that is used to winning will continue to win until victory is ripped from their grasp.

 Well, there you have it. Don’t get lost on the numbers, focus on the teams and your bracket will be alive and kicking after Sunday. Good luck and happy picking!

ShareThis

Before this game began Washington State knew they would be in the NCAA Tournament. They solidified a bid weeks ago. This game was all about respect and retribution for the two previous losses. The Cougars jumped out of the gates with revenge on their mind as they attacked the Lopez twins and got Robin into early foul trouble. But they did not sustain their efficacious drives. Slowly, the looks on their faces showed the expectations from previous games. They continued to execute tactics with high energy but instead of driving the lane for fouls they pulled up for outside shots. The Cougars shot an incredible 60% from beyond the arc but the key to victory against Stanford is foul trouble. Kyle Weaver led the way with a season-high 25 points. Derrick Low and Daven Harmeling followed with 15 and 13 points respectively.

As the Cougars opened up the game attacking, Stanford appeared uncomfortable. For the first five minutes the Cardinal tried to push the tempo and only compounded the Cougars’ offensive pressure. Once Stanford settled into their tempo and their style they established the dominant presence on the floor. While the lead grew to 13 and then withered down to 2 as long as the Cardinal adhered to their style the Cougars never had enough to go ahead. Brook Lopez led the way to victory scoring 18 of his 30 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Lawrence Hill got 14 and Robin tacked on 9.

Now, the only thing standing inbetween Stanford and the PAC-10 title is UCLA. Of note: UCLA’s Luc Richard Mbah a Moute will not be playing in Saturday’s contest after rolling his ankle. Will we see the first upset of the PAC-10 tournament? Can anyone slow down the Bruins? Tune in and find out!

ShareThis