Cardinal Edged Out by Sun Devils in Nail-Biter at Maples Pavilion
The Stanford Cardinal and the Arizona State Sun Devils delivered a closely contested battle at Maples Pavilion, with the visitors narrowly clinching victory. The Cardinal's record now stands at 0-1 after a heart-wrenching 73-76 loss, while the Sun Devils improved to 1-0.
The game was characterized by intense back-and-forth action, with both teams displaying formidable offensive skills. The Cardinal showcased their sharpshooting prowess from beyond the arc, converting 42 percent of their three-point attempts into a total of ten successful shots. Their overall field goal percentage was an impressive 48 percent with thirty made baskets out of sixty-three attempts. Despite this efficient shooting display, free throws were a sore point for the Cardinal as they managed to make only three out of seven attempts, translating to a mere 43 percent success rate.
On the rebounding front, the Cardinal dominated with forty-one boards compared to thirty-two by their opponents. This included seven offensive rebounds which contributed to ten second-chance points. However, turnovers proved costly for Stanford as they gave up possession thirteen times which led to nine points off turnovers for the Sun Devils.
Stanford's playmaking abilities were on full display as they dished out eighteen assists over the course of the game; however, this was slightly overshadowed by their thirteen turnovers resulting in an assists turnover ratio of 1.38.
Defensively, Stanford managed just one block and three steals throughout the contest – numbers that paled in comparison to Arizona State's four blocks and five steals. The defensive efforts did not translate into fast break opportunities either; Stanford failed to score any fast break points.
The visiting Sun Devils put up strong numbers themselves including nineteen two-pointers on a high sixty-one percent shooting from inside and ten treys at thirty-one percent accuracy from downtown. Their field goal percentage stood at forty-six percent overall with twenty-nine successful shots made from sixty-three attempts.
As both teams fought valiantly through two halves of play that saw four ties and one lead change, it was ultimately Arizona State who emerged victorious thanks largely in part to their ability to capitalize on Stanford's mistakes and maintain composure down the stretch.
Looking ahead after this tough loss at home against Arizona State University (ASU), fans can mark their calendars for when Stanford will face off against another conference rival – this time hosting Arizona Wildcats on December 31st at Maples Pavilion in California. This matchup is scheduled for a tip-off time of 1:00 PM Pacific Time and will be broadcasted live on Pac-12 Network for fans eager to catch all live-action as it unfolds.