Opinion
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Stanford Cardinal to Face Arizona State Sun Devils in Tempe Showdown

As the Stanford Cardinal prepare to face off against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Desert Financial Arena, fans are eager to see if their team can maintain the momentum from their recent performances. The upcoming clash scheduled for February 2nd is anticipated with great excitement, and there's plenty of data suggesting that Stanford could very well dominate on the court.


Feb 9, 2023; Stanford, California, USA;  Arizona State Sun Devils guard Devan Cambridge (35) controls the ball during the second half against Stanford Cardinal guard Michael O'Connell (5) at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

In a recent game on December 22nd against San Diego State Aztecs, despite a valiant effort, Stanford fell short with a final score of 60-74. The statistics revealed areas for improvement; particularly in three-point shooting where they only made 15 percent of attempts. However, they excelled at free throws with an impressive 90 percent success rate and showed strength inside the paint scoring 28 points.


Comparatively, in their home game on December 17th against Idaho Vandals, Stanford showcased what they are capable of when firing on all cylinders. They put up an astounding performance with an overall field goal percentage of over 56 percent and were particularly lethal from two-point range hitting nearly 66 percent of those shots. Their offensive prowess was complemented by solid defense resulting in a convincing win with a scoreline of 82-64.


Feb 9, 2023; Stanford, California, USA;  Stanford Cardinal guard Michael O'Connell (5) defends during the second half against Arizona State Sun Devils guard Austin Nunez (2) at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinal's most recent home game on December 4th further solidified their dominance as they dispatched San Diego Toreros with ease by putting up an impressive total of 88 points while maintaining over half field goal percentage and outperforming in assists-turnover ratio.


Looking ahead to the matchup against ASU, it's clear that if Stanford can replicate their high-scoring offense while tightening up perimeter defense to curb three-point vulnerabilities shown in past games, they stand a strong chance to come out victorious. The Sun Devils will not make it easy though; as any home team advantage at Desert Financial Arena could play into ASU's hands.


Feb 9, 2023; Stanford, California, USA;  Arizona State Sun Devils guard Frankie Collins (10) shoots the ball during the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Fans should expect SC’s players to come out aggressive early on trying to establish control inside while also looking for better shot selection beyond the arc which has been inconsistent recently. If SC can dictate the pace and leverage their rebounding ability as seen in previous games where they averaged around mid-thirties rebounds per game, then this could be another showcase event for them.


Mark your calendars for February second when this exciting encounter takes place at eight PM Mountain Time (MT) at Desert Financial Arena located in Tempe, AZ. For those unable to attend live action can tune into ESPN2 channel two hundred nine where all action will be broadcasted nationally ensuring you don't miss any part of what promises to be another thrilling college basketball showdown.

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