Whatever happens in the ACC tourney, this has been a successful (and wildly entertaining) Stanford basketball season. Back in December, when I did my ACC season preview, Stanford had been picked to finish 17th. At that point the ESPN BPI predicted 6.4 league wins. I projected a floor of 4 wins & a ceiling of 9. Getting to 9, with Quad 1 wins over Louisville, UNC, Va Tech, & NC State certainly exceeded my expectations. Also at that time, this website - http://www.inccstats.com/basketball/2025...kings.html - pegged Stanford's chances to get into the NCAA tourney at 10.9 %. Now that prediction has risen to 47% (seems a bit high to me).
Now, with Stanford on a 4-game win streak starting with the 75-67 victory over Pitt, the question is, can they keep it going? During this end of the regular season stretch, Stanford has finally given Ebuka the support needed to provide some consistency. When he can do his thing, but not have to carry the entire load, the team performs at an NCAA tourney level. It doesn't have to be the same guys every game, but it will take some solid contributions from the other 8 players in the rotation to make enough of a run to escape settling for the NIT once again.
Here is my preview of the Pitt game from just 2 weeks ago: https://thecardboard.org/board/thread-26099.html
Not much has changed since then. Pitt finished up at 12-19, going 5-13 in the ACC and 1-1 in neutral court games. After a 5-game losing streak in February, the Panthers alternated wins & losses in their last 5 games. Their OT win at Syracuse in the final game was needed to edge out BC for the last spot in the ACC tourney. They have still not won 2 ACC games in a row this season - hopefully that trend will continue
Stanford is favored by 5.5, the over/under is 137.5 - implied score is 71.5-66. Stanford's win probability is 57.6% per ESPN BPI and 67% per Bart Torvik. Stanford has been in the Eastern time zone for a week now, so hopefully the early start time will not be a big problem.
I expect The Panthers to have the same starting 5 that they used at Maples - Corhen, Minor, Dunning, Witherspoon, & Siulepa. Containing Corhen will be a key to a Stanford victory. He was dominant in the first half at Maples with 14 points and 6 rebounds as Pitt led 34-32. I thought that Donavin Young defended him well in the second half - Corhen finished with 22 & 8.. I trust that Kyle Smith and co. will have a good plan for him today. Indrusaitas is their most important player off the bench - playing at least 28 minutes and scoring in double figures in each of the last 5 games. He provides another 3-point threat, along with Dunning & Minor.
Those 6 players accounted for 211 of the available 225 minutes in the OT win at Syracuse. Two other subs could see action, but likely with lesser roles: #12 Kieran Mullen (7'0/220 Fr C) and #21 Macari Moore (6'3/200 Fr G).
Stanford has put themselves in a position to make what is already a successful season into something truly memorable. But there is no room for error today. Go Card!
Now, with Stanford on a 4-game win streak starting with the 75-67 victory over Pitt, the question is, can they keep it going? During this end of the regular season stretch, Stanford has finally given Ebuka the support needed to provide some consistency. When he can do his thing, but not have to carry the entire load, the team performs at an NCAA tourney level. It doesn't have to be the same guys every game, but it will take some solid contributions from the other 8 players in the rotation to make enough of a run to escape settling for the NIT once again.
Here is my preview of the Pitt game from just 2 weeks ago: https://thecardboard.org/board/thread-26099.html
Not much has changed since then. Pitt finished up at 12-19, going 5-13 in the ACC and 1-1 in neutral court games. After a 5-game losing streak in February, the Panthers alternated wins & losses in their last 5 games. Their OT win at Syracuse in the final game was needed to edge out BC for the last spot in the ACC tourney. They have still not won 2 ACC games in a row this season - hopefully that trend will continue
Stanford is favored by 5.5, the over/under is 137.5 - implied score is 71.5-66. Stanford's win probability is 57.6% per ESPN BPI and 67% per Bart Torvik. Stanford has been in the Eastern time zone for a week now, so hopefully the early start time will not be a big problem.
I expect The Panthers to have the same starting 5 that they used at Maples - Corhen, Minor, Dunning, Witherspoon, & Siulepa. Containing Corhen will be a key to a Stanford victory. He was dominant in the first half at Maples with 14 points and 6 rebounds as Pitt led 34-32. I thought that Donavin Young defended him well in the second half - Corhen finished with 22 & 8.. I trust that Kyle Smith and co. will have a good plan for him today. Indrusaitas is their most important player off the bench - playing at least 28 minutes and scoring in double figures in each of the last 5 games. He provides another 3-point threat, along with Dunning & Minor.
Those 6 players accounted for 211 of the available 225 minutes in the OT win at Syracuse. Two other subs could see action, but likely with lesser roles: #12 Kieran Mullen (7'0/220 Fr C) and #21 Macari Moore (6'3/200 Fr G).
Stanford has put themselves in a position to make what is already a successful season into something truly memorable. But there is no room for error today. Go Card!