Beat LA? Not Cal: Bears get swept by USC and UCLA at home for first time in 11 years

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Photo courtesy of Kelley L. Cox/KLC Fotos

By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY–For the first time in more than a decade, both UCLA and USC have victories at Haas Pavilion in the same season. And with the Cal Bears still struggling to find their footing against Pac-12 competition, neither the Bruins or Trojans had to sweat.

UCLA got their opportunity to take advantage of the Bears on Saturday afternoon, and did so from the opening tip, racing to a 13-2 to advantage on their way to a 107-84 win, featuring a season-best 13 made three-pointers. The 107 points and 17 threes were both season-bests for the Bruins, while the defenseless Bears allowed at least 90 points in a game for the sixth time this season.

Thomas Welsh led the Bruins with 19 points, 14 rebounds despite playing with a protective mask for the first time following a collision with Stanford’s Reid Travis on Thursday. Aaron Holiday added 21 points and freshman Kris Wilkes had 16 as six Bruins scored in double figures. UCLA bounced back from a crushing double overtime loss at Stanford on Thursday with 58 percent shooting from the floor against Cal.

“That’s key especially playing on the road in the Pac 12,” Welsh said. “You have to get ahead early and I think we did a good job of that tonight.”

The Bears were led by Justice Sueing with 22 points, and Marcus Lee with 19 points, 15 rebounds. But the home team’s offense was absent in UCLA’s quick start, as Cal shot just 26 percent in the first half while falling behind 54-33.

“We try to put the best lineup out there to give us the best fight, give us the best chance from the start of the game,” coach Wyking Jones said. “You see me juggling the lineups a bit, so we can put guys out there that will bring it from the start. It’s just a situation that for some reason, we don’t have good starts. We weren’t aggressive in the first half, we didn’t look to attack the zone like we did in the second half.”

The Bears (7-9, 1-2 in Pac-12 play) dropped two at home after winning four of five, including their stirring comeback at Stanford last week. Unlike their tentative effort against Trojans, the Bears were scrappy and determined, making a brief, second half run that cut UCLA’s lead to 13 at one point. But the Bruins seized control again, by making 9 of 11 from distance in the second half to pull away.

The Bears travel to Seattle on Thursday to meet Washington.  It will mark the Bears’ second trip to the Emerald City in less than a month, after an earlier road win over  Seattle University.

Barracuda lose 3-2 and get swept by Gulls in weekend series

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By: Ana Kieu

The San Jose Barracuda were looking to write a positive page against the San Diego Gulls in 2018 and rebound from a two-game losing skid at the Valley View Casino Center on Saturday night.

Previously, the Barracuda matched a franchise high with 46 shots on net, but suffered a 5-0 blowout from the Gulls on Jan. 5.

The Barracuda’s starting lineup featured Emerson Clark, John McCarthy, Adam Helewka, Jacob Middleton, Mike Brodzinski and Troy Grosenick.

Grosenick made a noteworthy save to open the first period. Shots were 8-6 in favor of the Gulls midway through the first, but the Barracuda picked up the pace as time went by.

Radim Simek was called for cross-checking and the Barracuda went on the penalty kill for the remainder of the first.

The Barracuda put 16 shots on goal, but they left the first scoreless against the Gulls.

The Gulls drew first blood with a power play goal for a 1-0 lead at 14:38. Eric Fehr poked in the rebound for his team-leading 11th goal of the season.

Filip Sandberg scored what looked like a goal off a strange bounce, but the officials waived it off, claiming they saw a high stick. No goal for San Jose.

The Barracuda tied the score at one apiece with an unassisted goal from Adam Helewka with 5:01 left in the second.

Both teams ended up in the same place, but this time around, the Barracuda and Gulls each scored a goal apiece after the second. Shots were 30-23 in favor of San Jose.

Joe Blandisi redirected Marcus Pettersson’s one-timer just eight seconds into the man advantage for a power play goal–his fifth of the season–at 17:46.

The Gulls’ lead was short-lived as Emerson Clark scored off of a point-blank opportunity at 16:04.

Just when you thought the Gulls were ready to give up on the game, San Diego regained the lead, 3-2, on Sam Carrick’s wrist shot en route to the opposing net.

Despite leading in shots, 42-30, midway through the third, San Jose trailed San Diego 3-2.
The Barracuda still had a chance as they went on the power play while the Gulls’ switched on their penalty kill, which eventually worked.

The Barracuda lost to the Gulls 3-2 on the road.

Notes
USA Hockey announced on January 1 during the second intermission of the Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres at Citi Field in New York that San Jose Barracuda captain John McCarthy had been selected to the United States men’s ice hockey team for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The Olympics will be held from Feb. 9-25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The AHL announced on Thursday that Barracuda goalie Antoine Bibeau has been selected to represent San Jose at the 2018 All-Star game in Utica, N.Y., later this month.

Barracuda rookie forward Rudolfs Balcers added another assist in San Jose’s last game and now ranks T-10th in the AHL among first-year players in points (23) and T-sixth in assists (16). Balcers leads the Barracuda in points, assists, and is tied with Danny O’Regan and Brandon Bollig for the team lead in goals with seven.

Barracuda head coach and Bay Area native Roy Sommer collected his 700th AHL win of his career on Dec. 3 at Bakersfield, 2-1. Sommer is the first coach in the 82-year history of the AHL to reach 700 coaching wins.

Six players from the Barracuda’s 2017 Calder Cup playoff roster are now on the San Jose Sharks (Marcus Sorensen, Tim Heed, Barclay Goodrow, Timo Meier, Joakim Ryan and Kevin Labanc).

Up Next 
The Barracuda return to SAP Center on Tuesday, January 9, where they’ll host the San Antonio Rampage  at 7 pm PT.

Done deal! Gruden signs 10-year, $100 million deal with Raiders

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Photo credit: @DamonBruce

By Jeremy Kahn

It was never a secret since the firing of Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio on who his replacement would be.

Well, it is now official, as the Raiders have announced the hiring of Jon Gruden as head coach of the Raiders.

Gruden returns to the team that he coached from 1996-2001 before being traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the Raiders lost to the New England Patriots 16-13 in the AFC Divisional Game, it what is known as “The Tuck Rule Game.”

The 54-year old Gruden led the Raiders to the 2000 AFC Championship Game, where the Raiders lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.

Gruden spent the last nine seasons as an analyst on ESPN’S Monday Night Football after he was fired by the Buccaneers after the 2008 season.

“It’s an emotional and bittersweet day for our Monday Night Football family, as today we say goodbye to Coach Gruden after nine very distinguished years coaching this Monday Night Football group,” ESPN analyst Sean McDonough said at the beginning of Saturday’s game.

Kind of ironic that Gruden’s last game with ESPN was at the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders rival since the two teams entered the old American Football League back in 1960, when the Chiefs played in Dallas as the Dallas Texans.

“These Chiefs fans have been on my case since we got here,” Gruden said jokingly.

ESPN.com contributed to this report.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Is Major League Baseball ready for expansion outside the United States?

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Photo credit: @NBCSAuthentic

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–It was 20 years ago that Major League Baseball expanded with two more teams. Last time that Major League Baseball expanded was in 1998, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were born, one in each league. Also, in 1998 the Milwaukee Brewers moved to the National League, in order the keep the leagues with even numbers of teams. Today MLB is doing very well economically, some of the television contracts are the largest ever even in the billions of dollars.

More than ever baseball has become international. Regular season games have been played in Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico and there is no doubt this is here to stay. There are still some cities in North America, like Montreal, Canada; Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; and Nashville, Tennessee or Charlotte, North Carolina, that could (in the future) gather enough support for a Major League franchise. Montreal, already had a team until 2004. Then the franchise relocated to Washington, D.C. and are now the Washington Nationals. Washington had a franchise, the old Washington Senators until 1971, so this “move” made sense. Washington is the capital, and there is enough population not only in the District of Columbia but in neighboring states. By the way, in 1972 the Senators franchise moved to Dallas,Texas and are today the Texas Rangers.

Which countries and cities outside the United States would make the most sense for an expansion team? The obvious choices are places like Mexico City, Mexico, with over 21 million population, one of the largest cities in the world. Montreal, Canada (again) because there was a franchise there. Tokyo, Japan is currently the most populous city on earth with over 22 million people. And then there are others, because of their connection to baseball historically and geography.

Although not as big or as populous, Cuba, is only 90 miles from Miami. Cuba was the only country in the world to ever have a professional US American franchise. Cuba once had a team in the International League (AAA), the Havana Sugar Kings, an American franchise which ended after 1961. Not because it was unpopular or because of economic problems, but because the Cuban government in 1961 officially eradicated all professional sports in the country, as they became a communist government ruling over all in the island. Today Cuba has a population of 11 million people.

Major League Baseball led by Commissioner Rob Manfred said this past July 2017 about possible expansion:

“Let me go back to a conversation we’ve had already. I think for us to expand we need to be resolved in Tampa and Oakland in terms of their stadium situations. As much as I hope that both Oakland and Tampa will get stadiums, I think it would be difficult to convince the owners to go forward with an expansion until those situations are resolved”.(quote). Mr.Manfred also mentioned that after the Oakland and Tampa Bay stadiums situations are resolved he has three places in mind: Montreal, Canada, Charlotte, North Carolina and Mexico City, Mexico, for possible expansion.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez a former candidate for the broadcast wing of the MLB Hall of Fame, Spanish play by play talent for the Los Angeles Angels (TV) and Oakland A’s (Radio), and does That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Clippers lose Griffin and game to Warriors 121-105, Curry scores season-high 45 points

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~ Photo credit: @warriors

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES–The Stephen Curry show led the Golden State Warriors to a 121-105 rout over the Los Angeles Clippers as Curry scored 45 points in three quarters at the Staples Center Saturday.

Though the Warriors had a bit of a slow and poor shooting start, Curry scored 17, 12 and 16, respectively. He also had a career-high 15 free throws along with his seven three’s on 11-of-21 shooting, as Golden State’s lead stretched as high as 30.

Regarding feeling pretty good, Curry replied, “Yeah, just trying to start off the game right. It’s obviously weird playing a 12:30 game…you got to find a little bit of energy and something to build momentum…obviously unfortunate to see Blake (Griffin) go out. I hope he’s alright.”  

Los Angeles was within three after the first quarter, but Blake Griffin never returned to the game, after suffering a concussion with 2:11 left in the first. He received an elbow to the forehead from JaVale McGee, which knocked him down and one could see his right hand shaking. Luckily, he was able to get up later with help. For the already depleted Clippers, it was their second blow in a row as Milos Teodosic did not play after leaving the last game.  

The Warriors ended with a 3-0 road trip as part of a four-game win streak, averaging 121 points a game. It was their 12th win versus Los Angeles and 10th straight road win. The Clippers fell just shy of garnering 106 points their last nine games.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr commented, saying the game “was mainly about Steph tonight.”

The leading scorers on Golden State after Curry were McGee and Nick Young with 11 apiece and David West and Klay Thompson with 10 apiece. On a poor shooting night for Thompson, 4-of-16, Thompson doubled his five points in the first half in the third. Draymond Green almost had a double-double with nine points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Andre Iguodala had seven assists too.

Lou Williams led the Clippers with 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting, rivaling Curry in the first with 13 points in the opening quarter. Next after Williams was DeAndre Jordan with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, Tyrone Wallace (his first NBA game) with 13 points, Jawun Evans with 12 points and seven assists and Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell with nine points apiece, Harrell also with 10 rebounds.  

The Warriors did not get their second bucket of the game until 8:06 left in the first, when Curry was fouled and scored a pair of free throws. That led to a turnover by Griffin and resulting Green dunk shot.  Curry made his first three with 6:55 to go, giving Golden State their first lead until the second with under five minutes to go.

Later Curry drove to the basket before passing out for an assist and got the ball back outside the three point line. He put his arms up and drew the foul to make three free throws.

It then became the Warriors and threes led by Curry versus Williams, as Golden State built a 10-point lead. Williams scored three straight baskets, but Green and Curry combined for three three’s with Curry making a second chance three as well.

Los Angeles went on a 7-0 run to end the quarter, with William scoring the last five points with a three to make it 28-31. Curry tried to replicate on the other end but missed at the buzzer.

The field goal percentage at the end of the quarter was Warriors (33.3%) and Clippers (47.6%).

With the majority of the second period close, the max lead at six and within one four times, Sam Dekker tied the game at 50 apiece at 3:30. This held until Iguodala made the first of two free throws 31 seconds later and Golden State never looked back.

It was the Warriors’ turn to end the quarter as they went on a 12-5 run. Curry made his first three of the second with 2:14 left. With 1:06 left, Thompson hit his first three, then Curry had the last six points from the line and runs to the basket twice, until Williams scored with .2 seconds left. Golden State ended with a nine-point lead, 64-55.

The shooting percentage leads reversed after the third quarter, with the Warriors shooting 52.2% and Los Angeles shooting 33.3%.

Golden State went on an 11-4 run, started by Curry’s first three, another three by Thompson and culminating with three free throws from Curry with 5:49 left to go for an 18-point lead.

The Warriors’ lead reached its 30-point high with under a minute left after a 22-6 run. That was sparked by a three from Curry and also included a pair of three’s from Young.   

When asked if it would be fair to say every time Steph shot a three, it seemed to spark Golden State’s runs, Kerr replied, “I would say it was fair. It’s fair to say that. When he gets going like that, he sparks the whole building.”

Clippers’ coach Doc Rivers message to the team was, “Golden State are the world champions. We have 90 points of offense sitting in street clothes. I thought their offensive assault affected us…You back up to no one ever…If they’re better, let them be better, but make them be better.”

With Curry on the bench, the fourth quarter was the best and worst for Los Angeles and the Warriors points-wise, 29-18.

Game notes: On playing all 13 of his players, Kerr expressed, “it just felt like one of those games you play everybody, old school, like YMCA with the kids. Everybody has to play, and it was a good day for that.”

Due to Los Angeles’ need for guard help, Wallace was signed, while Jamil Wilson was waived January 5th.

Recent injuries from the past for both teams continued with Kevin Durant out again for Golden State.

Green got his 11th technical for arguing a non-call on the play after Griffin’s injury.

Up next: The Warriors head back home for two games now to play the Denver Nuggets Monday at 7:30pm and then the Clippers again.

Stanford Cardinal Podcast with Matt Harrington: After Thursday’s UCLA stunner Cardinal hope to top act with win over USC on Sunday

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Photo credit: @StanfordMBB

By Matt Harrington

PALO ALTO–It was a little bit of a stunner what Stanford did in their victory over the UCLA Bruins 107-99. They have to look at their potential UCLA is upset with their performance but Stanford needs to look at the game on Thursday as this is your potential. In the final minutes of that double overtime game the Cardinal had four freshman on the floor including the Cardinal’s Dorian Pickens.

The Cardinal shouldn’t be under pressure anymore and after going through a game like that and a lot of time to develop they’ve have grown into the role. Stanford has to look at that as their potential. The Cardinal have got Dorian Pickens back. This is his second game back now. He had a career night that’s what the team’s capable of when they’re healthy.

Matt Harrington does the Stanford Cardinal podcast each Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Kings Press Row Podcast January 5, 2018 with Charlie O & Jordan Chapin

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Hosts Charlie O and Jordan “Chape” Chapin

  • Kings beat the Cavs and the expectations became very big for the men in purple and white

  • The loss to the Suns at home was a real “buzz kill” for the Kings and their momentum

  • The Grizzlies came to Sacramento and dominated the Kings. The fans were vocal with their displeasure

  • The Hornets continued the pattern of dominating the Kings with their big win at the Golden 1 Center

  • Denver visits Sacramento on Saturday and brings their high-powered offense in to challenge the Kings

  • If there haven’t been enough challenges, the Spurs come back to town on Monday

  • Charlie O & Chape break it all down for you on this edition of the Kings Press Row Podcast

Sharks’ road woes continue as Matt Duchene quickly scores game-winner to lift Senators to 6-5 win in OT

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Photo credit: San Jose Sharks

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks lost in overtime 6-5 to the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre Friday night. Three third period goals propelled the Senators into the extra period, where Matt Duchene scored the game-winner just seven seconds in. The loss is the third for the Sharks on this five-game road trip. San Jose has just one win since they hit the road on New Years Eve 2017.

Tomas Hertl did his part for San Jose, scoring twice. Additional goals came from Brent Burns, Chris Tierney and Melker Karlsson. For Ottawa, Matt Duchene scored twice, including the overtime winner, while Mike Hoffman, Mark Stone, Ryan Dzingle and Derick Brassard scored the balance of the Ottawa goals. Aaron Dell made 37 saves for San Jose, while Craig Anderson made 30 saves for Ottawa.

After the game, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski talked about the team’s third period breakdown:

Positives are there, you know, you come out, you get that lead, we played well. We get a point out of tonight but obviously what we’re focussed on right now is that third period and that was uncharacteristic of us. We’ll have to be aware of the situation and next time we’re in it we got to, you know, establish our game better. We always talk about it: it doesn’t matter if we have the lead or not, we got to play a certain way in the third and you can’t sit back. We might have a little bit too much tonight.

The first goal of the game was scored short-handed by Hertl at 6:29. Brent Burns snuck a pass to Logan Couture along the wall and Couture hit Hertl as he crossed the San Jose blue line for the breakaway.

Dzingle tied it up after Stone picked off a Kevin Labanc pass to Logan Couture on the Senators’ blue line. Stone and Brassard got away from the Sharks defense and no one was there to cover Dzingle as he came down the slot late. He arrived just in time to catch a clean pass from Stone and slip the puck around Dell at 10:05. Assists went to Stone and Brassard.

Karlsson answered three minutes later, tipping a blue line shot from Joakim Ryan. A second assist went to Jannik Hansen.

The Sharks seemed to run away with the game in the second period with two power play goals in a row. The first came in the final seconds of the power play. Joonas Donskoi, Chris Tierney and Timo Meier entered the zone fast with a pass from Tierney to Donskoi. Donskoi’s shot came off of Anderson’s pads right to Tierney who kicked the puck to his stick and took the shot. Assists went to Donskoi and Tim Heed.

The next goal came less than two minutes later, on yet another power play. Joe Pavelski carried the puck in and had to pass the puck back to Couture at the point. Couture redirected the puck to Burns along the blue line and he wasted no time on the shot. Couture and Pavelski had the assists.

The Senators started the climb back with a power play goal from Mark Stone just over a minute later. Erik Karlsson took a shot from the blue line that broke Couture’s stick. The dead shot trickled to Hoffman. He quickly passed it to Stone who put it by Dell on the short side.

At 13:27, Hertl extended the Sharks lead again, with a desperate wrap around shot while falling to the ice. The puck went off of Anderson’s stick, but assists went to Couture and Brenden Dillon.

Derick Brassard scored just 26 seconds into the third period. His shot came from a bad angle and went off of Dell’s skate through a gap by the post. Assists went to Stone and Karlsson.

The shots were 11-1 for the Senators in the third, when Matt Duchene scored off a rebound created by Bobby Ryan’s shot from the slot. Matt Hoffman also had an assist.

Hoffman followed that up by tying the game at 10:48. Dell could not get across quickly enough to stop Hoffman’s one-timer off Duchene’s pass. Assists went ot Duchene and Bobby Ryan.

Hoffman won the faceoff and went right into a two on one with Duchene. His last-moment pas across the goal mouth left Duchene with an almost open net.

The Sharks next play on Sunday in Winnipeg against the Jets at 12 pm PT.

Reto Berra and Gulls’ power play stun Barracuda in 5-0 shutout

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

The combination of the best power play in the AHL and a red-hot goalie were too much for the San Jose Barracuda to handle as they got blown out by the San Diego Gulls 5-0 loss on Friday night at the Valley View Casino Center.
San Diego raced out to a quick start with Jared Boll scoring his first goal of the season at 5:17 of the first period when he was able to take a pass from Dennis Rasmussen and snapped a wrist shot past the five-hole of Cuda goalie Parker Gahagen (2-2).
Gulls goalie Reto Berra (7-4-0) frustrated San Jose throughout the night. His 46 saves were good enough for his first shut out of his season. Some of his highlights included, stopping Cuda forward Danny O’Reagan’s blast late in the first period and making back to back saves while the Cuda were on the power play in the second period.
San Jose couldn’t stop San Diego’s power play all night as the Gulls went 4/5. San Diego’s first power play tally came with 0.1 seconds left in the first period when forward Kalle Kossila was able to beat the buzzer with a wrist shot past Gahagen after Andy Welinski found him all alone in front of the crease that Kossila was able to tip home for his ninth goal of the season to put San Diego up 2-0 heading into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Barracuda were the recipients of some bad luck when defenseman Jacob Middleton’s clearing attempt on the penalty kill deflected off of the skate of San Diego’s Joe Blandisi that went past the five-hole of Gahagen for an unassisted power play goal. It was Blandisi’s fourth goal of the season.
San Jose’s frustration boiled over in the second period when Jared Boll and Emerson Clark got into fisticuffs just 27 seconds after Blandisi’s goal. Brandon Bollig and Corey Tropp also had a spirited fight with five minutes left in the period.
San Jose had a chance to get back into the game when Blandisi went into the sin bin with a four minute double minor for high sticking half way through the second. However they couldn’t capitalize thanks to Berra’s great goaltending. The Cuda’s anemic power play went 0/6 on the night. They’re now 0 in their last 22.
Eric Fehr, on loan from the Toronto Maple Leafs, scored the Gulls’ third power play goal at the 7:48 mark of the third period. It was his 10th goal of the season. Kossila and Marcus Pettersson assisted. Sam Carrick completed the scoring with his sixth goal and the Gulls’ fourth power play goal of the night at the 12:03 mark. Fehr and Rasmussen received assists.
Gahagen finished the evening with 21 saves on 26 shots.
GAME NOTES: San Jose gave up four power play goals in a game for the first time in their three year history. They out shot the Gulls 21-4 in the third period.

With the win, San Diego jumped ahead of San Jose in the Pacific Division with 34 points compared to San Jose’s 33 points.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda take on the Gulls once again tomorrow night at 7 pm PT from Valley View Casino Center.

Headline Sports with London Marq: Cardinal tighten up on defense to get big win over UCLA; Raiders will announce Gruden as head coach on Tuesday

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usatoday.com photo: The Stanford Cardinal’s Michael Humphrey tries to stop UCLA scoring with some defense in the Cardinal’s win Thursday night at Maples Pavilion

On the Headlines Podcast with London:

It was a night of the Stanford Cardinal freshman made a come back after two tough loses with Kansas and Cal. Stanford led by some really needed three pointers from Dorian Pickens help get the Cardinal a 107-99. Pickens for Thursday night scored 24 points. We haven’t seen Stanford play like this in a long time. It was a great win it would interesting to see how USC who comes in and coming off a win at Cal on Thursday night to see what they can do when they come to Stanford on Thursday.

The Cardinal have got some nuggets of success in pockets. First of all they hit the jack pot with freshman Issac White whose been a playmaker on or off the bench. The Cardinal also had Kezie Okpala who hit a jump shot in the overtime to tie up the ball game 91-91. Oscar De Silva feed Okpala who dunked and gave Stanford a 93-91 lead.

London Marq will be covering Stanford basketball on Sunday night for http://www.sportsradioservice.com