Tag: NCAA Basketball

SJSU MBB returns home to host Portland on Sunday afternoon

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By Ana Kieu

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose State men’s basketball team stunned Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y. That, my friends, was an astonishing win to say the least. The Spartans beat a Pride team that finished 93rd in KenPom and won 27 games last season.

Now, SJSU looks to make it two in a row as they head home to the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Sunday afternoon. Here are the facts that you should know before the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.

BROADCASTS
TV: None

Stream: Stream all non-televised SJSU home games via the Mountain West Digital Network at sjsuspartans.com/watch.

Radio: Justin Allegri on the call through TuneIn.com and the TuneIn app. Search for “San Jose St. Basketball”.

PORTLAND SERIES HISTORY
All-time series is tied, 11-11 … The Spartans hold a 6-4 edge at home … The last meeting was a 64-55 loss at the Chiles Center on Dec. 9, 2017. Ryan Welage had a team-high 21 points in the loss. Isaiah Nichols started in that game, scoring nine points and grabbing six boards in 32 minutes. Caleb Simmons also started against the Pilots. He played just 10 minutes … In a Spartan loss to the Pilots in 2016 in the Event Center, Brandon Clarke had 28 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks … SJSU won the first six meetings in the series … Portland has won the last four meetings … The teams have gone to overtime five times, including a triple-overtime thriller in 1984. SJSU lost, 82-81.

HOME OPENER HISTORY
The Spartans have won three straight home openers … SJSU averaged 98.3 points per game in those wins.

SPARTANS STUN HOFSTRA IN SEASON OPENER
SJSU opened the 2019-20 season with a bang, defeating Hofstra on the road, 79-71 … Hofstra won 27 games last year, while SJSU lost 27 games … In his Spartan debut, JC transfer and former Wake Forest guard, Richard Washington, posted a team-high 23 points off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting. He scored 12 of his 23 points in the final four minutes, including a stretch of three straight three-pointers to put the game away … Senior forward Craig LeCesne had his first career double-double with a career-high 19 points plus 11 rebounds … It was SJSU’s first win in a road opener since 2010-11 when the Spartans topped Eastern Washington, 67-60 … The Spartans snapped a 21-game road losing streak dating back to the 2017-18 campaign … SJSU won on the East Coast for the first time since 2001-02, when the Spartans defeated Fairleigh Dickinson at the BCA Tournament hosted by NC State in Raleigh, N.C.

POSSIBLE THROWBACK
The Spartans are hoping to duplicate the success of the 1995-96 squad. SJSU won the Big West Conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year after going 4-23 during the 1994-95 season … The Spartans went 4-27 last season.

LOTS OF STARTERS BACK
The Spartans return seven players who started at least one game a season ago … Guard Seneca Knight is the most experienced, as the sophomore started 17 games, including the final 12, of his rookie season … Point guard Brea Ivey was just behind Knight, as the former junior college transfer started 16 games last season … Forward Craig LeCesne and guard Zach Chappell both started 15 games last year … Forward Christian Anigwe, guard Isaiah Nichols and walk-on guard Trey Smith each started one game.

SIX NEW FACES
Spartan head coach Jean Prioleau will have the help of six newcomers on the roster in 2019-20 … The Spartans have three new junior college transfers in Richard Washington (Tallahassee CC), Eduardo Lane (Marshalltown CC) and Ralph Agee (East LA College). Washington started his collegiate career at Wake Forest, where he played eight games as a freshman before an injury caused him to miss the entire 2017-18 season … Another Wake Forest transfer will join the Spartans on the floor this season, as center Samuel Japhet-Mathias will be eligible after a redshirt season last year. The former four-star recruit appeared in 17 games off the bench at Wake Forest as a freshman in 2016-17. He posted six points and four rebounds at No. 17 Xavier … Prioleau added two freshmen this season in guard Omari Moore and walk-on center Harminder Dhaliwal.

SJSU TV SCHEDULE
The Spartans will play 10 games on TV this season, including three at home … SJSU hosts an ESPN networks game this year for the first time since 2010-11, when either ESPN2 or ESPNU will carry the SJSU tip against Utah State on Dec. 4. SJSU will also be on ESPN2 or ESPNU when visiting Utah State on Feb. 26 … SJSU will have four non-conference games on TV, all against Pac-12 competition. The Spartans will be on CBS Sports Network when hosting Stanford at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Dec. 14. SJSU will battle both UCLA and Arizona on Pac-12 Networks and meet Oregon State on FS1 for a neutral site matchup in Las Vegas … The Spartans will also have four Mountain West contests on AT&T SportsNet this season – Jan. 15 at UNLV, Jan. 21 at New Mexico, Feb. 8 at Nevada and Feb. 29 vs. UNLV.

NCAA RULES CHANGES
The most notable rule change for the 2019-20 season is the extension of the three-point line. The new distance will match the three-point line used in FIBA games. The new line is 22 feet and 1.75 inches from the center of the basket, just over 16 inches further back from the previous three-point line … The other major change is the shot clock will now reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound, rather than the full 30 … Another smaller change is head coaches will be able to call live-ball timeouts in the final two minutes of both the first and second halves, plus the final two minutes of overtime periods.

NEW NAME FOR EVENT CENTER
SJSU’s on-campus arena has a new name starting with the 2019-20 season. Provident Credit Union has signed on as the naming rights partner, making it the Provident Credit Union Event Center. The deal is for $8.1 million over 20 years, with the majority of the annual payments scheduled for maintenance and renovation of the 30-year old facility. The president and CEO of Provident Credit Union is Jim Ernest, a Spartan alum.

DIRECTIONS TO EVENT CENTER
Walt McPherson Court in the Provident Credit Union Event Center is located near the corner of Seventh and San Carlos Streets. The easiest freeway access is just a few blocks away off interstate 280. Take the Seventh Street exit and follow signs to San Joe State University. Parking is available for a fee at the South Parking Garage on San Salvador and Seventh Streets and the West Parking Garage on San Salvador and Fourth Streets.

Stanford MBB beats Montana 73-62 in season opener

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By Ana Kieu

Oscar da Silva scored 21 points and the Stanford Cardinal men’s basketball team beat the Montana Grizzlies 73-62 in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday night. da Silva led the Cardinal with 21 points.

Tyrell Terry added 13 points for the Cardinal, which improved to 87-14 all-time in season openers. Bryce Wills scored 11 points. Spencer Jones added 9 points.

Sayeed Pridgett scored 17 points to lead the Grizzlies, who have lost their last 11 games to Pac-12 teams. Derrick Carter-Hollinger scored 15 points. Josh Vasquez added 11 points.

Montana took its only lead of the second half 36-35 on a Carter-Hollinger free throw.

Stanford went on a 25-2 run over the next eight minutes to take control of the game. Montana went nearly six minutes without scoring during that span.

Stanford shot 50.0 percent overall, connected on 12-13 from the foul line and forced 17 turnovers.

Josh Vasquez hit a 3-pointer to give Montana 25-19 lead with 5:19 left in the first half. Stanford went on an 11-3 run the rest of the way to take a 30-28 advantage into halftime.

There were six lead changes and the game was tied on six other occasions in the first half.

With the win, Stanford improved to 2-0. Montana, however, fell to 0-2.

Stanford hosts Cal State Fullerton on Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. PT.

SJSU MBB opens season with 79-71 win over Hofstra in Long Island

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By Ana Kieu

It took just one game of the 2019-20 season for San Jose State men’s basketball head coach Jean Prioleau to pick up his signature win of his Spartan career. SJSU defeated Hofstra, an 18-point favorite coming off a 27-win season, 79-71, inside the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex.

The win was the Spartans’ first road victory since 2017 and first win on the East Coast since 2001.

“I’m really proud of our guys, those guys stuck together,” Prioleau said. “It’s been a long journey. The guys battled. We were actually down and made some substitutions to get right back in the game. I think we have something special. We shot 47 percent for the game and 30 percent from three-point range. We outrebounded them 47-33, which is unbelievable. We beat a team that won 27 games last year on their home court. That says a lot, that’s going to send a shockwave around the nation.”

Trailing 69-67 with 3:32 to play, Richard Washington knocked down the first of three consecutive three-point baskets to put the Spartans in control of the game. SJSU finished the game on a 12-2 run to close it out.

Washington, a transfer from Tallahassee Community College, shined in his SJSU debut, scoring a game-high 23 points to go with seven rebounds. He was one of four Spartans to score in double figures. Craig LeCesne tacked on a career-high 19 points and 11 boards for his first double-double of the season. Seneca Knight (13) and Brae Ivey (10) also broke the double-digit plateau in the win.

After an even first half that finished with Hofstra holding a 35-34 lead, the teams continued to exchange blows through the first 10 minutes of the second half. Neither team found much success from the three-point range for the first 30 minutes until Hofstra’s Tareq Coburn rattled off back-to-back treys to give the Pride a 53-48 lead with 10:14 to play. Hofstra extended their lead to as much as eight at the 7:07 mark before a Ivey’s clutch 3-ball stopped the bleeding.

Knight followed with a fast break layup and Washington nailed a jump shot to give the Spartans a 65-63 lead with 4:36 to play. Washington then hit clutch shot after clutch shot to shut the door on the Pride. Washington scored 12 of his 23 points in the final four minutes.

“It was an exciting game,” Washington said. “We knew coming in what they were. We just had to stay composed. We knew they were going to go on runs. They had one late in the game where they went up by like eight or nine. I just told the guys that we didn’t need to panic and stay composed. We were right there. This is what we do and what we love. We got it done.”

With the win over Hofstra (0-1), SJSU (1-0) received a major boost of momentum. The Spartans head back to San Jose to host their home opener against the Portland Pilots on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the Provident Credit Union Event Center.

SJSU MBB opens season Wednesday at Hofstra

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By Ana Kieu

San Jose State men’s basketball head coach Jean Prioleau is now in his third year (and will likely face pressure if his team doesn’t get the ball rolling in year three) and his team will take on the Hofstra Pride on Long Island Wednesday at 4 pm PT.

Here’s what you need to know about the SJSU-Hofstra matchup.

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (4-27, 1-17 Mountain West)
PPG: 65.9 | FG%: 40.4 | 3FG%: 32.8 | FT%: 65.5

NOTES: SJSU will look to improve from its 2018-19 campaign with a mix of return talent and skilled newcomers. The Spartans return PG Brae Ivey to help in the rebuild. Ivey averaged 9.2 points and tallied a team-high 102 assists. F Seneca Knight (17 starts), F Craig Lecesne (15) and G Zach Chappell (15) are all back after starting multiple games. Spartans head coach Jean Prioleau welcomes five newcomers, including former Wake Forest players Richard Washington and Samuel Japhet-Mathias.

HOFSTRA PRIDE (27-8, 15-3 Colonial)
PPG: 83.4 | FG%: 48.6 | 3FG%: 38.5 | FT%: 80.2

SERIES: First Meeting

LAST: N/A

NOTES: Hofstra was invited to the NIT last season after falling in the CAA Tournament championship game, 82-74, to Northeastern. The Pride’s leading returning scorer is senior guard Eli Pemberton, who averaged 15.0 points plus 4.8 rebounds per game. Head coach Joe Mihalich is in his seventh season and will be coaching his 200th game for the Pride on Wednesday.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: None

STREAM: FloHoops will stream the game at Hofstra. The feed costs $7.99 through FloSports.TV.

RADIO: Justin Allegri on the call through TuneIn.com and the TuneIn app. Search “San Jose St. Basketball” on TuneIn.

HOFSTRA SERIES HISTORY
This is the first meeting between the Spartans and Pride.

SAN JOSE STATE TV SCHEDULE
SJSU will play 10 games on TV this season, including three at home.

SJSU hosts an ESPN networks game this year for the first time since 2010-11, when either ESPN2 or ESPNU will carry the SJSU tip against Utah State on December 4. SJSU will also be on ESPN2 or ESPNU when visiting Utah State on Feb. 26.

SJSU will have four non-conference games on TV, all against Pac-12 competition. The Spartans will be on CBS Sports Network when hosting Stanford at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Dec. 14. SJSU will battle both UCLA and Arizona on Pac-12 Networks and meet Oregon State on FS1 for a neutral site matchup in Las Vegas.

SJSU will also have four Mountain West contests on AT&T SportsNet this season — Jan. 15 at UNLV, Jan. 21 at New Mexico, Feb. 8 at Nevada and Feb. 29 vs. UNLV.

A LOT OF STARTING EXPERIENCE BACK
The Spartans return seven players who started at least one game a season ago.

Seneca Knight is the most experienced, as the sophomore started 17 games, including the final 12, of his rookie season.

Brae Ivey was just behind Knight, as the former junior college transfer started 16 games last season in his first year at SJSU.

Craig Lecesne and Zach Chappell both started 15 games last year.

Christian Anigwe, Isaiah Nichols and Trey Smith each started one game.

SIX NEW FACES
Spartans head coach Jean Prioleau will have the help of six newcomers on the roster in 2019-20.

SJSU has three new junior college transfers in Richard Washington (Tallahassee CC), Eduardo Lane (Marshalltown CC) and Ralph Agee (East LA College). Washington started his collegiate career at Wake Forest, where he played eight games as a freshman before an injury caused him to miss the entire 2017-18 season.

Another Wake Forest transfer will join the Spartans on the floor this season, as center Samuel Japhet-Mathias will be eligible after a redshirt season last year. The former four-star recruit appeared in 17 games off the bench at Wake Forest as a freshman in 2016-17. He posted six points and four rebounds at No. 17 Xavier.

Prioleau added two freshmen this season in guard Omari Moore and walk-on center Harminder Dhaliwal.

NCAA RULES CHANGES
The most notable rule change for the 2019-20 season is the extension of the three-point line. The new distance will match the three-point line used in FIBA games. The new line is 22 feet and 1.75 inches from the center of the basket, just over 16 inches further back from the previous three-point line.

Another major change is the shot clock will now reset to 20 seconds after an offensive rebound, rather than the full 30.

A smaller change is head coaches will be able to call live-ball timeouts in the final two minutes of both the first and second halves, plus the final two minutes of overtime periods.

THE EVENT CENTER GETS A NEW NAME
SJSU’s on-campus arena has a new name starting with the 2019-20 season. Provident Credit Union has signed on as the naming rights partner, making it the Provident Credit Union Event Center. The deal is for $8.1 million over 20 years, with the majority of the annual payments scheduled for maintenance and renovation of the 30-year old facility. The president and CEO of Provident Credit Union is Jim Ernest, a SJSU alum.

Bears start Coach Fox off with an impressive 87-71 win over Pepperdine

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By Morris Phillips

BERKELEY — After a pair of last place finishes in the Pac-12, a coaching change, and a great deal of personnel upheaval, the Cal Bears looked like a breath of fresh air in dispatching Pepperdine 87-71 in their season opener.

Coach Mark Fox, how about that improvement from last year’s 8-23 nightmare?

“I don’t know what happened last year,” Fox said emphatically. “We won’t even look at it.”

If anything can be learned at this early stage about Fox, who coached previously at Nevada and Georgia, he’s exceedingly positive while being extremely demanding. So far, 17 players, none of them new to the program–or old–according to Fox, have bought in.

Simply, the Bears are an empty slate, neither doomed to their recent past or promised to be improved. So far, improvement appears to be the path based on their come-from-behind win against the Waves.

Matt Bradley scored 25 points, and Paris Austin came up with 14 points, three assists keying a 52-point second half that carried the Bears after they trailed Pepperdine 37-35 at the half.

Andre Kelly, the beneficiary of some nifty passes from Austin, and newcomer Kareem South were Cal’s two other double-digit scorers, coming up with 16 points and 14 points respectively.

The Bears trailed by as many as seven points in the first half, and were still behind 49-46 with 14:35 remaining when Pepperdine went scoreless for five minutes and Cal took control. Bradley and Austin each scored six points in a 17-0 run that put the Bears up 63-49 with 10:05 remaining. The Waves banked on their 3-point shooting and lost, missing 19 of their final 25 attempts from distance.

Bradley experienced foul trouble in the opening 20 minutes and sat for a long stretch. But the second half was all his. The sophomore finished 8 for 11 from the field and made 5 of his 7 attempts from distance.

“I said, `Now you’re not in foul trouble. You can go and be aggressive and just play like you’ve practiced,'” Fox said of his halftime directive to Bradley.  “And to his credit he did just that.”

“When I came back in the second half it was second nature,” Bradley said. “I wasn’t really thinking much, I was just playing and felt really good.”

If the Bears have a focal point offensively, it undoubtedly would be the burly Bradley. The 6’4″ guard has started his Cal career by making 55 of 113 3-point attempts. On Tuesday, Bradley matched his career-best with five made threes.

Austin came off the bench and repeatedly burned the Waves with his dribble penetration and ability to finish. Remarkably, Austin registered just three assists even as it seemed had much more with his composed approach and pinpoint passing.

Colbey Ross led the Waves with 19 points, seven assists, but 17 of those came before halftime. Sophomore Kessler Edwards paced Pepperdine in the second half, scoring 15 of his 18 points after the break.

The Bears appear to be a much deeper and more balanced team than they were in 2018-19 as nine players saw action Tuesday.  They also expect to get big contributions from forward Kuany Kuany and big guard Juhwan Harris-Dyson, neither of whom played against Pepperdine. Fox hinted that the pair could return from injury rather soon with the Bears next scheduled to host UNLV on November 12.

5 Stanford MBB Players You Should Get to Know

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By Ana Kieu

Stanford men’s basketball is just around the corner. The Cardinal open the regular season on Wednesday, November 6 at 7:00 pm PST versus the Montana Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are a Division I team and are members of the Big Sky Conference.

So, with that said, here are five Stanford men’s basketball players you should get to know.

1. Isaac White

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
Winning games with my brothers. These offseasons seem way too long, and so I am itching to get on the court and go to battle with this team.

What part of your game did you work on most this offseason?
My all round body shape and conditioning, and my shooting off of the move. I have a good understanding of my role on this team and did everything I could to ensure that I will be prepared to contribute come November 6 and beyond.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I am a romantic.

Do you have any nicknames?
Zay, Zaytoven, Zaytiggy.

Is there any significance behind your jersey number?
13 was taken by Oscar. 1+3 = 4. No brainer.

2. Kodye Pugh

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
“Controlling the Narrative” which was taught by Grammy award-winning artist Lecrae.

Do you have any nicknames?
I don’t even know if I can say “KP” because some people actually believe that’s my real name!

Is there any significance behind your jersey number?
My number through high school used to be 10, but that was taken when I got here (thanks Mike Humphrey). At the same time, my sister had to change her number from number 5. So, I got 5 and she got 10.

Favorite TV show right now?
“Power.”

What’s a fun fact about one of your teammates?
Rod and Trev wouldn’t know how to live without me.

3. Spencer Jones

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
Taking everything I’ve learned so far into competition and playing in a college atmosphere.

What part of your game did you work on most this offseason?
My shooting, defense, physicality, and being able to contribute efficiently on both sides of the ball.

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
My “Thinking Matters” class about the definition of love.

Do you have any nicknames?
“Jonsey.”

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“2014 Forest Hills Dr.” by J. Cole.

4. Tyrell Terry

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
To grow with my teammates.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I’m a huge soccer fan.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“Views” by Drake.

Favorite TV show right now?
“How I Met Your Mother.”

What’s a fun fact about one of your teammates?
I’m older than Bryce.

5. Bryce Wills

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
Excited to turn some heads. Everyone is doubting us as a team and our individual talents due to some of the important players from last year that have moved on from the team, but we’re excited to get out there and make our mark.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
I was pretty musically talented up until high school. I tried out the violin, saxophone and piano in elementary and middle school and used to sing.

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
I’m really liking “Intro to Finance and Investment” so far because I feel like it can apply to me now and do wonders for me in the future.

Who or what inspires you and why?
Being here at Stanford inspires me every day. I am surrounded by some of the most intelligent and intellectual people in the world as everyone here is unique in their own way. Whether someone speaks 6 languages, or graduated high school at 16 and attends school here, or whatever the case may be, it amazes me everyday. When you put it into perspective, Everyone here is one of the best from wherever they come from and learning from them is even a blessing in itself.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“2014 Forest Hills Drive” — J. Cole

Cal routs Saint Martin’s 98-75 in exhibition game

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Photo credit: calbears.com

By Ana Kieu

Cal men’s basketball opened the 2019-20 season with a 98-75 blowout over Saint Martin’s in an exhibition game Wednesday night at Haas Pavilion.

Graduate transfer Kareem South led the Bears with a game-high 23 points. Sophomore Matt Bradley added 18 points and 5 assists, junior Grant Anticevich had 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting along with 6 rebounds and freshman Lars Thiemann scored 9 points and 4 blocked shots.

Cal head coach Mark Fox told CalBears.com, “We tend to practice very unselfishly. I don’t think we have anybody that’s a ball-stopper … I think they enjoy making each other better. We talk about making each other better and I think tonight we were able to do that.”

The Bears used a 11-0 run to build a 10-point lead at the 14:02 mark of the first half and led by as many as 15 in the first 20 minutes before the Saints closed the half on a 7-2 run for a 44-41 lead at the break.

The Bears extended the lead back quickly after halftime and held a 57-45 advantage at the under-16 media timeout with 15:34 left in the game. Cal used a 10-1 run to take a 79-58 lead and Saint Martin’s was unable to pull closer than 17 the rest of the way.

Cal scored 22 points off of 15 Saint Martin’s turnovers, held a 44-22 advantage in points in the paint and outscored the Saints 21-0 in fastbreak points.

Fox told CalBears.com, “It was great to finally play a game. It is why we all fell in love with the game was the chance to compete and to play and it was really good for our team to actually have a chance to play … We did a lot of good things, we have a lot of teachable moments we can look back on.”

The Bears open the Mark Fox era on Tuesday, November 5 at 7 p.m. inside Haas Pavilion against the Pepperdine Waves. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.

Stanford MBB exhibition game against Sonoma State cancelled

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By Ana Kieu

Stanford men’s basketball had an exhibition game against Sonoma State scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, but it was cancelled due to the extensive power outages and regional disruptions from the Kincade Fire. Stanford Athletics made the announcement on Tuesday night.

As a result, Sonoma State University will be closed until November 4th. All campus activities, along with athletic events, have been cancelled and teams are unable to travel off campus at this time.

All single game buyers will be refunded the price of the ticket, plus any applicable fees. Since the exhibition game was included in Season Ticket Memberships at no charge, there will be no refunds issued.

NOTES: Check out Stanford’s latest compilation video of their top-notch players using the link below.

UP NEXT: Stanford hosts Montana in its season opener on Wednesday, November 6th, at 7 p.m.

5 Stanford MBB players you should get to know

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Photo credit: @StanfordMBB

By Ana Kieu

The Stanford men’s basketball season is just around the corner. The Cardinal’s home opener will take place on Wednesday, November 6 at 7:00 p.m. against the Montana Grizzlies. But, until then, let’s learn more about the Cardinal, who were projected to finish 10th in the Pac-12 preseason poll.

Here are five Stanford men’s basketball players you should get to know, courtesy of GoStanford.com.

1. Rodney Herenton

Photo credit: gostanford.com

Who or what inspires you and why?
My parents inspire me. They have work ethics that are unmatched and are always trying to improve in some way.

What part of your game did you work on the most this offseason?
My jumpshot.

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
Real Estate Development and Finance.

Do you have any nicknames?
Rod Rod.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“Views” by Drake.

2. Neal Begovich

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
Competing and winning games together as a team.

What part of your game did you work on the most this offseason?
My body. Trying to get stronger and faster. Also, continuing to work on defense.

Is there any significance behind your jersey number?
21 is the same number my late father wore when he played at Cal.

Who or what inspires you and why?
My family and my father. I want to live on the legacy of my dad and make him proud.

What’s a fun fact about one of your teammates?
Ty makes dance videos.

3. Keenan Fitzmorris

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
Genes, Memes and Behavior, or Public Speaking.

Is there any significance behind your jersey number?
I’m the youngest in a family of six. My family is really important to me, and I want to wear something that represents them. I have always had double digit numbers, and six times two is twelve, so I decided on that. My sister wears number twelve too, so it makes it even more cool to me!

Who or what inspires you and why?
I’m inspired by my family, and generally by people who have stood up for their beliefs and values despite adversity. People like Muhammad Ali, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. come to mind.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“21” by Adele.

What’s a fun fact about one of your teammates?
Spencer is one step away from becoming a certified Eagle Scout.

 4. James Keefe

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What are you most excited about this season?
Getting on the court with my brothers and winning games!

What part of your game did you work on most this offseason?
I worked most on my body and especially spent a lot of time in the weight room.

What’s your favorite class at Stanford?
Principles of Economics.

Is there any significance behind your jersey number?
I idolize TJ Leaf who wears 22.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“Illmatic” by Nas, “Rodeo” by Travis Scott, and “In Between Dreams” by Jack Johnson.

5. Sam Beskind

Photo credit: gostanford.com

What is your favorite class at Stanford?
Perspectives on the Good Life.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
My favorite sport to watch on TV is tennis.

Who or what inspires you and why?
My mom, because she was a walk-on at the University of Washington for high jump and she still holds the record there and is in the hall of fame. She is also the kindest person I know.

You’re stranded on a deserted island and can only listen to one album for eternity. Which album do you pick?
“Scorpion” by Drake.

What’s a fun fact about one of your teammates?
Isaac White gets 5+ sample cups every time he gets froyo.

Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason: Raiders gain ground with win against Chicago on road trip; 49ers leave no doubt in win over Browns; plus more

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Photo credit: nbcsports.com

On Headline Sports with Barbara:

#1 Which Oakland Raider (3-2) team is this? The Raider team who lost to Kansas City and Minnesota or the Raider team who beat Indianapolis and Chicago?

#2 The San Francisco 49ers (4-0)  left little doubt about their game on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns (2-3) in a lopsided win at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

#3 The Golden State Warriors struggled in their first preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Are they showing signs or cracks of a different older team — not as fast, not as accurate — or is this a real study of them finding who they are without Kevin Durant?

#4 The Stanford Cardinal (3-3) got an important 23-13 win against Washington (4-2) on Saturday, thanks to the help of Cameron Scarlett, who carried 33 times for 151 yards and one touchdown.

#5 A tough loss last Saturday in Oregon (4-1) for the Cal Bears (4-2) and quarterback David Modster. The Bears only got one touchdown against the Oregon Ducks.

Barbara Mason does Headline Sports podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com