[Mick]

On Thursday at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Stanford (4-1) plays Minnesota (4-2) at 6:30 p.m. The Golden Gophers lost to USanFrancisco by 12 on Saturday. Lost to Missouri by 23.

6'7" SF/SG Cade Tyson (#10) is their stud, 21.8 ppg, 40% from 3 pt. range, .797 from FT. The rest of the team can't really shoot, team 3 pt. % is 29%, team FT % is 65%. Their 6'8" PF Jaylen Crocker Johnson leads the team with 10.5 rpg. The team is strong on defense, and they have 20 blocked shots and 48 steals in 6 games.

I imagine there are plenty of seats available if you want to see it in person, Acrisure seats 11,000. Otherwise, it's televised live on the CBS Sports Network.

Unusual format. Six teams overall. Stanford already hosted a home game, beating Louisiana 93-66, then SCU hosted Louisiana, winning 80-43. St. Louis and Minnesota each beat Chicago State, 108-86 and 66-54 respectively.

Winner of Stanford vs. Minnesota plays the winner of Santa Clara (6-0) vs. St. Louis (5-0) on Friday, 11/28.

[Mick]

On Thursday at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Stanford (4-1) plays Minnesota (4-2) at 6:30 p.m. The Golden Gophers lost to USanFrancisco by 12 on Saturday. Lost to Missouri by 23.

6'7" SF/SG Cade Tyson (#10) is their stud, 21.8 ppg, 40% from 3 pt. range, .797 from FT. The rest of the team can't really shoot, team 3 pt. % is 29%, team FT % is 65%. Their 6'8" PF Jaylen Crocker Johnson leads the team with 10.5 rpg. The team is strong on defense, and they have 20 blocked shots and 48 steals in 6 games.

I imagine there are plenty of seats available if you want to see it in person, Acrisure seats 11,000. Otherwise, it's televised live on the CBS Sports Network.

Unusual format. Six teams overall. Stanford already hosted a home game, beating Louisiana 93-66, then SCU hosted Louisiana, winning 80-43. St. Louis and Minnesota each beat Chicago State, 108-86 and 66-54 respectively.

Winner of Stanford vs. Minnesota plays the winner of Santa Clara (6-0) vs. St. Louis (5-0) on Friday, 11/28.

[Sam Leopold]

There's now a line out for the game.  Stanford is the slightest of favorites, at -1.5.  Both Santa Clara and Saint Louis have looked very good so far.  Santa Clara has a 19-point road win at Xavier, but Saint Louis is also -1.5.  Whatever happens tomorrow, they both figure to be favored on Friday.

Ken Pomeroy recently did a study on who are the coaches, across all of D-I, whose coaching has added the most value independent of recruiting over the past 18 seasons.  Kyle Smith was 9th.  The coach we are about to go up against, Niko Medved, is 16th.

The coaching effect - by Ken Pomeroy - kenpom's thoughts

[Sam Leopold]

There's now a line out for the game.  Stanford is the slightest of favorites, at -1.5.  Both Santa Clara and Saint Louis have looked very good so far.  Santa Clara has a 19-point road win at Xavier, but Saint Louis is also -1.5.  Whatever happens tomorrow, they both figure to be favored on Friday.

Ken Pomeroy recently did a study on who are the coaches, across all of D-I, whose coaching has added the most value independent of recruiting over the past 18 seasons.  Kyle Smith was 9th.  The coach we are about to go up against, Niko Medved, is 16th.

The coaching effect - by Ken Pomeroy - kenpom's thoughts

[BostonCard]

Halftime. Minnesota up34-31.

BC

[BostonCard]

Halftime. Minnesota up34-31.

BC

[old spanish trail]

Oooof, painful too often, but hanging in at half 34-31. Okpara in one of his make sure you shoot modes, Okory verrrry clever on 3 drives for score and one or two 3s, Agarwal a couple 3's, etc. Kamman looks better on D than last season, moves more decisively and stronger, still limited offensively, Ruhosey a couple clever shots under the basket. Both Euros played a few minutes with no Off. Do they shoot the 3? Dent Smith who has looked pretty good...till tonight, but only played 3 min or so. Cameron(?) in for a few minutes. Curious,what is his assignment?

[old spanish trail]

Oooof, painful too often, but hanging in at half 34-31. Okpara in one of his make sure you shoot modes, Okory verrrry clever on 3 drives for score and one or two 3s, Agarwal a couple 3's, etc. Kamman looks better on D than last season, moves more decisively and stronger, still limited offensively, Ruhosey a couple clever shots under the basket. Both Euros played a few minutes with no Off. Do they shoot the 3? Dent Smith who has looked pretty good...till tonight, but only played 3 min or so. Cameron(?) in for a few minutes. Curious,what is his assignment?

[BobK]

Excellent win tonight. Play St Louis tomorrow

[BobK]

Excellent win tonight. Play St Louis tomorrow

[BostonCard]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

[BostonCard]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

[old spanish trail]

Good guys survive 72-68. Okory with 25 or so. Okpara calmed down and made several important shots. Camman a couple steals, and Agarwal 3 important late rb's. He jumps higher than the rest. Gealer two crucial 3s in last few minutes. They play St Louis, I think, who defeated Santa Clara by 1, in finals tomorrow.

[old spanish trail]

Good guys survive 72-68. Okory with 25 or so. Okpara calmed down and made several important shots. Camman a couple steals, and Agarwal 3 important late rb's. He jumps higher than the rest. Gealer two crucial 3s in last few minutes. They play St Louis, I think, who defeated Santa Clara by 1, in finals tomorrow.

[needle]

Curiously, Skrinda got a lot of run...but I don't think he attempted a shot?

Minnesota is a poor three-point shooting team (look it up).

Not to say Stanford's defense wasn't outstanding, because it was. But Stanford's offense will need to step it up on Friday to have a chance.

[needle]

Curiously, Skrinda got a lot of run...but I don't think he attempted a shot?

Minnesota is a poor three-point shooting team (look it up).

Not to say Stanford's defense wasn't outstanding, because it was. But Stanford's offense will need to step it up on Friday to have a chance.

[JJJ]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

In my defense (or my excuse, more like), I was out at the tip and was watching the recording starting about 30 minutes after tipoff, so I didn’t want to see any spoilers. I’m happy that the Ok bros/boyz/braddahs/whatevas carried us through with Big Shot Benny! The game DEFINITELY counts!

[JJJ]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

In my defense (or my excuse, more like), I was out at the tip and was watching the recording starting about 30 minutes after tipoff, so I didn’t want to see any spoilers. I’m happy that the Ok bros/boyz/braddahs/whatevas carried us through with Big Shot Benny! The game DEFINITELY counts!

[ADPinWDC]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

YES -- We learned how to finish the WIN.  
Make key shots, no mistakes, bag the FTs
Gealer was clutch.  Okorie again a force.  

St. Louis will be a big step up in tempo and ferocity.

[ADPinWDC]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

YES -- We learned how to finish the WIN.  
Make key shots, no mistakes, bag the FTs
Gealer was clutch.  Okorie again a force.  

St. Louis will be a big step up in tempo and ferocity.

[burger]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

YES -- We learned how to finish the WIN.  
Make key shots, no mistakes, bag the FTs
Gealer was clutch.  Okorie again a force.  

St. Louis will be a big step up in tempo and ferocity.

Agreed--a solid win yesterday in a game that we could easily have lost.

I'm still concerned about two things: First, we have long stretches of moribund offense where we struggle to generate anything and end up settling for contested threes.  This was on display in several possessions yesterday against Minnesota's zone.  I don't know what the solution is here because we aren't a good passing team, and Okorie can't take all the shots.

And our rotation on defense has been bad.  It seems like every time we try to double on the perimeter, the opponent ends up with an open 3.  We do force a lot of turnovers, but we also give up high shooting percentages.  We have a lot of good defenders this season--I would just let them play 1-on-1.

Anyway, they're still a fun team to watch and much better than I was expecting coming into the season.  I'm optimistic that we can still play better given the number of minutes we're getting from new arrivals.

[burger]

If a men’s basketball team wins in a forest and nobody is around to post, does the game still count?

72-68 final. We were outshot but dominated on the boards. The Ok brothers had 25 and 11, and Gealer added 14. 

BC

YES -- We learned how to finish the WIN.  
Make key shots, no mistakes, bag the FTs
Gealer was clutch.  Okorie again a force.  

St. Louis will be a big step up in tempo and ferocity.

Agreed--a solid win yesterday in a game that we could easily have lost.

I'm still concerned about two things: First, we have long stretches of moribund offense where we struggle to generate anything and end up settling for contested threes.  This was on display in several possessions yesterday against Minnesota's zone.  I don't know what the solution is here because we aren't a good passing team, and Okorie can't take all the shots.

And our rotation on defense has been bad.  It seems like every time we try to double on the perimeter, the opponent ends up with an open 3.  We do force a lot of turnovers, but we also give up high shooting percentages.  We have a lot of good defenders this season--I would just let them play 1-on-1.

Anyway, they're still a fun team to watch and much better than I was expecting coming into the season.  I'm optimistic that we can still play better given the number of minutes we're getting from new arrivals.