The Stanford Business Reporter

It has been a year of transition for the Men’s Basketball Team. Gone are the 7’ Collins twins, the great clutch shooting of Ryan Mendez, and the sure handedness of point guard Michael McDonald. In their place have come a new class of freshman with "interesting" hairstyles, monster dunks, and plenty of turnovers. Amidst the uncertainty, the one constant has been all-American forward Casey Jacobsen, who despite getting off to a slow start still ranks second in the Pac-10 with just over 19 points per game.

Despite the changes, the new squad is well positioned to make a run in the NCAA tournament come March. However, before the excitement of March basketball, Stanford will have to navigate a treacherous Pac-10 schedule. The Pac-10 was heralded as the best conference in the pre-season and big wins by Arizona over Maryland and UCLA over #1 ranked Kansas have solidified that impression. With four games complete, Stanford is only 3-2 with a losses at Cal and against Oregon both on the road. Any hope of defending their Pac-10 title will require big wins against UCLA and Arizona.

The keys to success for Stanford in the Pac-10 season and beyond will be solid guard play--especially at the point--and the ability for the younger crop of freshman to mature on the court. The early season losses have been plagued by inconsistent play at the point guard. Returning senior, Tony Giovacchini has been splitting time with Junior dunkmaster Julius Barnes and Freshman Chris Hernandez. While all players have shown flashes of brilliance, late game turnovers on the road against Cal and Oregon were costly.

Don’t look for Coach Mike Montgomery to end the point guard by committee any time soon. Each player has strengths in certain areas that Montgomery will call upon down the stretch. Hernandez’s solid defense and intensity, Giovichini’s calming influence, and Barnes athleticisms will all be crucial late in close games. Moreover, from past years Montgomery is know to involve 8-9 players in rotation instead of sticking with the five starters. This can provide valuable experience to the younger players but sometimes prevents starters from truly getting into their rhythm.

Beyond the point guard position, Freshman Josh Childress and Sophomore Justin Davis will have to prove that they can consistently score the basketball. Relying on Jacobson and 7’ center Curtis Borchardt to be the team’s only offensive threat will not be viable against the better Pac-10 teams like UCLA and Arizona. Stanford’s best games, like the win against Michigan State and Cal, were highlighted by balanced scoring and a step-up game from one of the younger players.

Much has been said about Jacobsen’s inability to get good looks. It is attributable to this one-dimensional offense that results in double teams. However, beyond the double teams, Jacobsen has failed to hit many open shots the way he did last year. His field goal percentage is down from .504 to .415 and his shot selection has been poor at times. We found out last year Jacobsen has incredible range often making three pointers from three feet beyond the arc. But those long range shots have not been falling this year and Montgomery will have to be more prudent about allowing Jacobsen to take these lower percentage shots.

Finally, Stanford continues to shine at home at Maples Pavilion. The team is 19-2 at Maples over the past two seasons with the only two losses at the hands of UCLA and Arizona. The intensity and enthusiasm of the Sixth Man Club undoubtedly has a positive impact on the team, especially the younger players. Stanford can not afford to lose any games at the friendly confines of Maples Pavilion.

The rest of the Pac-10 season should be filled with exciting finishes and hopefully a bevy of wins. In spite of the two early Pac-10 season losses, Stanford has the ability to bounce back and win the conference title. Beyond the Pac-10 season, if the team matures and gets solid guard play, they will be poised to make some noise in the NCAA tournament.