Preview: Stanford welcomes Portland to Maples Pavilion
On Monday at 7:00 PM PT on ACCNX, Stanford men’s basketball will welcome Portland to Maples Pavilion. Stanford comes in at 6-1 overall while Portland comes in at 5-3.
Last time out: Stanford had an impressive 78-77 victory over Saint Louis on Friday to win the Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, California.
RECAP: Benny Gealer moonball wins it for Stanford Men’s Basketball in Palm Desert
On Portland: The Pilots come in at 5-3 overall, most recently dominating Long Beach State 93-73 on Wednesday, November 26th. Their three losses are to St. Thomas, Northern Colorado, and Wyoming. Wyoming was on the road while the other two were at home. So, it’s been a rough start to the season for the Pilots.
The Pilots are led by freshman guard Joel Foxwell out of Melbourne, Australia. Foxwell is averaging 15.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game on 49.4% shooting from the field, 39.5% shooting from 3-point range, and 75.9% shooting from the foul line. Freshman forward Timo George (13.4 points & 5.4 rebounds) and sophomore guard Mikah Ballew (11.6 points) are also scoring in double figures on average.
As a team, the Pilots average 83.5 points per game on 50.9% shooting from the field, 31.8% shooting from 3-point range, and 70.9% shooting from the foul line. They average 37.9 rebounds, 19.8 assists, 7.0 steals, 3.4 blocks, and 15.6 turnovers per game to go along with a +4.1 rebound margin and a -2.0 turnover margin per game. Their opponents average 79.1 points per game on 41.7% shooting from the field, 31.4% shooting from 3-point range, and 76.8% shooting from the foul line.
Keys to the game: For Stanford, the first thing they need to do is win the turnover battle. Portland is not great at taking care of the ball. If Stanford speeds them up and forces Portland State to be the team that commits more turnovers, that should help. Especially if those turnovers lead to fastbreak opportunities.
Secondly, Stanford needs to get to the foul line. Portland tends to not do a great job of avoiding fouling good foul shooters. If Stanford can take advantage of that and knock down their foul shots, they should be good.
Finally, Stanford needs to dominate inside. With guys like Chisom Okpara, AJ Rohosy, and Oskar Giltay, Stanford should be able control the glass and set the tone in the paint. If they do that, they’ll be tough to stop.
Prediction: I got Stanford winning 84-68. I think they win this one pretty handily. Stanford on paper really ought to cruise to victory. Especially after their impressive performance in Palm Desert.
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