gostanford.com photo: Stanford Cardinal guard Robert Cartwright (2) drive towards the bucket while being defended by the St Mary’s Gaels guard Joe Rahon (25) on Wednesday night at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

STANFORD, Calif. –The Stanford Cardinal trailed the no. 12 Saint Mary’s Gaels for just 47 seconds in the first half at Maples Pavilion Wednesday night, heading to the intermission up 30-26. The first half lead evaporated after a 12-0 Gaels run to open the half then piled up the points the points in a blowout second half for a 64-51 win. Calvin Hermanson scored a game-high 25 points, including seven threes (most of which stymied any Cardinal momentum) to give Stanford (6-2) its second loss of the young season.

Reserves Grant Verhoeven (12 points) and Robert Cartwright (10) were the only Cardinal to reach double-digits in scoring, snapping Reid Travis’ 7-game streak to start the year.

Starter Michael Humphrey and sub Josh Sharma (And sometimes both) did a stellar job locking down the Gaels’ leading scorer this season, Jock Landale. One of Saint Mary’s many Aussies, Landale has average 21 points per game this season but was limited to just four points on 2 of 2 shooting in the first 20 minutes.

The second half was a different story for the center, as Landale’s seven points over the opening 4:30 capped a 12-0 run that saw the Gaels wrest a comfortable 38-30 lead. Over the same stretch, the Cardinal went 0 for 7 from the field to watch a four point lead become an eight point deficit. Stanford went on a 4-0 run to work back into the game at 38-34, but treys from Evan Naar and Hermanson restored a 10-point edge 44-34 with 12:22 left to play.

Stanford’s Senior Verhoeven provided a spark for Stanford as the game advanced to the later stages. The Hanford, Calif. Native scored seven points over the next five-plus minutes, and Robbie Cartwright scored four of his own to pull Stanford within three at 48-45 with 6:46 left in regulation. Hermanson would again provide a dagger of a trey to put the visitors up 51-45. Kyle Clark would add a three of his own to edge out plus-nine. As a team Saint Mary’s hit 11 of 27 shots from behind the arch, eight coming in the second half.

Verhoeven would pick up an and-1 as part of his 12-point performance, but Hermanson picked up a quick 5 points for a 59-48 to bust the game open for the Gaels with four minutes left. From there, St. Mary’s took total control, finishing the game out on a 7-3 run.

The Cardinal’s breakout performer in the first half was the aggressive Reid Travis. After medically redshirting last season with a leg injury, the junior forward looks in top form for the Cardinal. The powerhouse of a forward bullied his way to eight first-half points on 4 of 6 shooting, driving to the hoop looking to draw contact or finish with a layup. He was held scoreless in the second half, was held to just though, missing all three of his shot attempts. Dorian Pickens, one of the Cardinal’s fastest starters, only hit a pair of free throws in the contest.

As a team, the Cardinal shot just 28 percent as a team in the second half after hitting 50 percent of their first-half shots.

The road ahead won’t be any easier for the Cardinal, as Stanford travels to no.4 Kansas Saturday night. Stanford then faces Bay Area foes California State East Bay on December 16^th before facing Southern Methodist University on the road on the 19^th.