The Docket 1/29: Stanford Gets A Shot To Take Down No. 1
By Phil Watson
The Stanford Cardinal hosts the No. 1-ranked Arizona Wildcats at Maples Pavilion Wednesday night, the program’s first game against a top-ranked team since the Cardinal beat then-No. 1 Kansas 64-58 on Dec. 7, 2003, at the John Wooden Classic in Anaheim.
It’s the first time a No. 1 team has visited The Farm since Duke on Dec. 21, 2000, which was an 84-83 win for Stanford.
The Cardinal (13-6, 4-3 Pac-12 Conference) is just 29-55 all-time against Arizona (20-0, 7-0) and has lost the last seven meetings. Stanford’s last win over the Wildcats was a 76-60 victory at Maples on Jan. 5, 2009, the first and only win over Arizona for coach Johnny Dawkins.
Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.
The rest of The Docket for Wednesday:
NHL: San Jose Sharks (34-13-6) at Edmonton Oilers (17-32-6), 6:30 p.m.
The Sharks had their six-game winning streak snapped on Monday night, while the Oilers—the worst team in the Western Conference—have won two straight.
San Jose is 2-0 against Edmonton so far this season, with three meetings remaining, including a 3-1 win at Rexall Place on Nov. 15.
The Oilers hold a 22-18-10 edge all time in Edmonton, but the Sharks have won the last four and six of the last seven. Edmonton’s last home-ice victory over San Jose was a 2-1 shootout win on Jan. 23, 2012.
NBA: Memphis Grizzlies (23-20) at Sacramento Kings (15-29), 7 p.m.
These teams are traveling in different directions right now—the Grizzlies have won three straight and eight of their last 10, while the Kings have dropped four in a row and are just 3-7 in their last 10 games.
Sacramento is 17-6 against the Grizzlies at home since the franchise moved to Memphis in 2001, but has lost the last three meetings at Sleep Train Arena, including a 97-86 decision on Nov. 17.
The Grizzlies are going for a 3-0 season sweep—they also won a controversial 91-90 decision in Memphis on Jan. 17, a game marked by coach Michael Malone drawing a fine from the NBA for going after the officials after a questionable jump ball call essentially ended the game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Portland Pilots (12-9) at USF Dons (13-8), 7 p.m.
The Dons are currently third in the West Coast Conference at 6-3, while Portland—the only WCC team to beat Gonzaga thus far this season—is 4-5 and in sixth place.
USF posted an 87-81 overtime win at Portland on Dec. 28 and is looking to wrap up the season sweep, but the Pilots won at War Memorial Gym in their last visit, a 78-76 victory on Feb. 14.
The Dons lead the all-time series 52-25 and have won seven of the last eight meetings.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: UNLV Rebels (13-7) at San Jose State Spartans (6-14), 7 p.m.
The Rebels are 4-3 in the Mountain West thus far, while the Spartans remain winless at 0-8. This is the only scheduled meeting between UNLV and San Jose State this season.
The Spartans are 4-31 all-time against the Rebels, but they haven’t met since 1997. San Jose State’s last win in the series was a 66-64 win at home on Jan. 10, 1996, and UNLV has won the last three meetings.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Arizona State Sun Devils (15-5) at Cal Golden Bears (14-6), 8 p.m.
The Sun Devils have slumped in Pac-12 play at 4-3, while the Bears have followed up a perfect 5-0 conference start with back-to-back losses in Los Angeles last weekend.
This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season; they are scheduled to play in Tempe on March 1. Cal leads the all-time series 37-36, but lost the only meeting last season at Arizona State 66-62 on Feb. 7. Prior to that, the Golden Bears had won five straight over the Sun Devils, including a 68-47 win in Arizona State’s last visit to Berkeley on Feb. 4, 2012.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-3) at Santa Clara Broncos (10-12), 8 p.m.
The Bulldogs come in with the WCC lead at 8-1, while the Broncos are sliding, having lost four in a row to fall to 3-6 in league play.
Gonzaga won in Spokane on Dec. 28, 74-60, and leads the all-time series 50-30. Santa Clara’s last win over the Zags was an 85-71 win at the Leavey Center on Jan. 20, 2011, and the Broncos have lost the last six meetings and 15 of the last 16.
Thursday Lookahead
NBA
L.A. Clippers at Warriors, 7:30 p.m.
NHL
Sharks at Calgary, 6 p.m.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Pacific at BYU, 6 p.m.
Saint Mary’s at San Diego, 7 p.m.
UC Davis at Cal Poly, 7 p.m.
Idaho State at Sacramento State, 7:05 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Cal at Stanford, 8 p.m.