No. 11 Arizona Basketball looks to avenge previous loss to Stanford

Dec 31, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) controls the ball
Dec 31, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Pelle Larsson (3) controls the ball / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
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TUCSON, AZ – Hoping to earn the weekend sweep, No. 11 Arizona Basketball (16-5, 7-3) will look to avenge its previous loss to Stanford (11-9, 6-4).

We are at the halfway point of the Pac-12 Conference season, and No. 11 Arizona Basketball returns to action against Stanford where they look to avenge a previous loss and earn a sweep against the Bay Area schools.

Returning to the friendly confines of McKale Center, the Wildcats are heavily favored in this one, but as we learned last time, this is a matchup Arizona cannot afford to overlook.

On paper, Arizona should have no problems beating Stanford, but the Cardinal have some talent at several key positions, and despite the Wildcats' talent advantage, we expect Stanford to give the Cats a game in this one.

Hopefully, the Wildcats will be ready to go and earn the sweep against the Bay Area schools, as well as avenge its previous loss to Stanford.

Getting to know the details about Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Stanford Cardinal.

Team: Stanford Cardinal

Conference: Pac-12 Conference

Current Record: 11–9 (6–4)

Head Coach: Jerod Haase. A veteran collegiate basketball coach, Haase enters his 8th season as head coach of the Stanford Cardinal, and in his tenure, he has compiled a 117–115 (59–73) record with just one, postseason appearance (NIT) in 2017-18. 

Before he arrived at Stanford, Jerod was at UAB from 2012-16 where he was 80–53 (42–26) as head coach of the Blazers. Overall, he is 203–171 (107–102) as a head coach with one, NCAA Tournament appearance and two NIT appearances. 

2022-23 Record: Finishing the 2022-23 season with a 14–19 (7–12) record, the Cardinal ended its year with a loss to Arizona in the Pac-12 Tournament. 

So with Arizona Basketball taking on Stanford, here is how you can watch and follow our Wildcats!

Arizona Basketball vs Stanford Information and Details:

Date: Sunday, February 4, 2024

Time: 6:00 P.M. MST / 5:00 P.M. PST

Television: FS1

Location: McKale Center – Tucson, AZ (14,545)

Spread: -17.5 Arizona (Don’t forget to sign up with Caesars Sportsbook or DraftKings to enhance your overall betting experience)

Overall Series Record: 70-34 Arizona. At one time sharing a bit of a rivalry, these are two programs that have an extensive history together; however, it is one in which the Wildcats have dominated recently, winning 23 of its last 27 meetings.

Last Meeting: Meeting on New Year's Eve, Stanford beat the Wildcats in Palo Alto handily, slapping the Wildcats a 100-82 loss as the Cardinal shot a staggering 16-25 (64.0 percent) from three.

Arizona Basketball Game Preview:

After cruising to a convincing win over conference foe Cal on Thursday evening, Arizona looks to earn a sweep of the Bay Area schools on Sunday as the Wildcats welcome Stanford to town.

Coming in, the Wildcats are the heavy favorites to win, but as we saw last time, Stanford is no slouch, and should they get hot from three, Arizona could be in for a long day.

The last time these two teams met, Stanford walked away with an 18-point win, and while we don't see that happening again, that doesn't mean that Stanford has no chance of winning this one either. This is a formidable opponent with some key playmakers.

And fresh off of a win 71-62 win over ASU just nights ago, the Wildcats will need to bring the focus and energy from the tip in this one if they are to win.

For the Wildcats to beat the Cardinal, Arizona will need to slow down Stanford's top scorers which include star freshman Kanaan Carlyle, Maxime Raynaud, Brandon Angel, Michael Jones, and Spencer Jones. 

Regardless of their record, Stanford is a good shooting team that shoots a collective 47.6 percent from the field, including 38.9 percent from three. Together, this is a talented offensive team that is averaging 78.5 points per game.

If Arizona is to win this one, they will need to execute defensively and not let Stanford get hot from beyond that arc. That means closing out on shooters and limiting second-chance points for the Cardinal.

The Wildcats cannot afford to let Stanford hang around and get confident, otherwise, this one will be closer than expected. Take care of business from the tip and put the Cardinal away early!

Hopefully, the Wildcats will be ready to go in this one as Sunday's game against the Cardinal is set for 6:00 P.M. Tucson time with the game being broadcasted on FS1!

Next. Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings: Arizona remains on top, USC slips below UCLA. Pac-12 Basketball Power Rankings: Arizona remains on top, USC slips below UCLA. dark

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