[washingtonismoney]

Stanford started hot and controlled most of the first half, with the motion offense looking like the absolute promise of the Dawkins era. A 16-0 run seemed to put Stanford firmly in control; naturally, of course, an ASU guard has singlehandedly chipped away at the until now it stands at 8.

[washingtonismoney]

Stanford started hot and controlled most of the first half, with the motion offense looking like the absolute promise of the Dawkins era. A 16-0 run seemed to put Stanford firmly in control; naturally, of course, an ASU guard has singlehandedly chipped away at the until now it stands at 8.

[washingtonismoney]

Naturally, despite having a great first half, John Gage has only just gotten back in the game. Sun Devils within five.

To paraphrase a great writer, the decay in this game has come gradually, then all at once.

[washingtonismoney]

Naturally, despite having a great first half, John Gage has only just gotten back in the game. Sun Devils within five.

To paraphrase a great writer, the decay in this game has come gradually, then all at once.

[FarmBoy]

To be fair, when Gage is in the game, Stanford is unable to get him a shot, and he's not able to create his own. The team is all finesse and jump shooting. There's no back door cuts, or post presence on offense. Live by the three, die by the three. We're really lucky the Devils can't buy a bucket, or we'd be losing.

[FarmBoy]

To be fair, when Gage is in the game, Stanford is unable to get him a shot, and he's not able to create his own. The team is all finesse and jump shooting. There's no back door cuts, or post presence on offense. Live by the three, die by the three. We're really lucky the Devils can't buy a bucket, or we'd be losing.

[FarmBoy]

Did Dave Flemming just call us the Cardinals?

[FarmBoy]

Did Dave Flemming just call us the Cardinals?

[washingtonismoney]

Stanford has the killer instinct of a movie villain. The team seemed to be finding ever newer stupid ways to attempt to give the ball away -- Randle, falling out of bounds, perched the ball on his skull and allowed a jump ball (instead of calling timeout) with roughly 13 seconds left down three. So, naturally, ASU misses and Stanford takes over with .7 seconds left. Guaranteed win, right? NO! Dwight Powell lobs the ball in an upcourt direction ... directly into the scoreboard Which is, of course, a turnover, giving ASU yet one more instance to fail to tie the game up.

The second half was as unriveting an example of incompetent/counter-incompetent as has been seen, with both teams combining to display turgid, motionless offense (or otherwise blowing easy shots.) But then there's the refs, who appeared to have some sort of wager for the Cardinal, with at least two critical possessions and two fouls being called in Stanford's favor.

Somehow, Stanford performed the unmagic trick of turning a double-digit lead into a nailbiter despite the manifestly bad play of its opponent. I feel stupider for having watched the game, and I suspect you're stupider for having read my account of the game. I tried to swear I wouldn't be a grump about a win, but MBB has creatively challenged themselves in each instance -- and they've succeeded.

[washingtonismoney]

Stanford has the killer instinct of a movie villain. The team seemed to be finding ever newer stupid ways to attempt to give the ball away -- Randle, falling out of bounds, perched the ball on his skull and allowed a jump ball (instead of calling timeout) with roughly 13 seconds left down three. So, naturally, ASU misses and Stanford takes over with .7 seconds left. Guaranteed win, right? NO! Dwight Powell lobs the ball in an upcourt direction ... directly into the scoreboard Which is, of course, a turnover, giving ASU yet one more instance to fail to tie the game up.

The second half was as unriveting an example of incompetent/counter-incompetent as has been seen, with both teams combining to display turgid, motionless offense (or otherwise blowing easy shots.) But then there's the refs, who appeared to have some sort of wager for the Cardinal, with at least two critical possessions and two fouls being called in Stanford's favor.

Somehow, Stanford performed the unmagic trick of turning a double-digit lead into a nailbiter despite the manifestly bad play of its opponent. I feel stupider for having watched the game, and I suspect you're stupider for having read my account of the game. I tried to swear I wouldn't be a grump about a win, but MBB has creatively challenged themselves in each instance -- and they've succeeded.

[TooMuchTV]

It looked like Haryasz was taking in the game with Childress.

[TooMuchTV]

It looked like Haryasz was taking in the game with Childress.