San Francisco @ Stanford preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 22, 2018 ) Stanford 65, San Francisco 74

Picked to finish 10th in the Pac-12 preseason poll, Stanford is off to its best start in eight years and slowly converting skeptics along the way. The Cardinal look to maintain their momentum Tuesday against visiting San Francisco, whose only losses have come to Hawaii and Arizona State.

Playing its first game after taking two weeks off for final exams, Stanford improved to 9-1 with last Saturday’s 78-58 win over San Jose State behind another stellar performance from junior Oscar da Silva. The 6-9 forward scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds against the Spartans and leads the Cardinal in scoring (17.4) and rebounds (5.6) while shooting 62.9 percent from the field. Freshman point guard Tyrell Terry added 11 points, eight boards and five assists for the Cardinal, who dominated the paint and drew high praise from San Jose State coach Jean Prioleau. “We played the best team we've seen this year,” Prioleau told reporters. “They keep coming at you with the same actions and break you down. They have the ability to make the play.”

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO (9-2): The Dons have four players averaging at least 9.8 points per game – including 7-foot center Jimbo Lull, who recorded 14 points and eight rebounds in last Saturday’s 91-69 win over Cal State Fullerton. Junior guard Jamaree Bouyea averages 14.5 points on 58.7 percent shooting to lead the Dons, who have scored more than 80 points in seven of their first 11 games. First-year coach Todd Golden’s squad is averaging 84.6 points and owns a plus-8.3 rebounding margin but has allowed opponents to shoot 38.7 percent from 3-point range.

ABOUT STANFORD (9-1): Coach Jerod Haase has been pleased by the development of freshman forward Spencer Jones, who struggled against San Jose State but has averaged 10.5 points and 4.2 rebounds since being inserted into the starting lineup over the last nine games. Jones is shooting 49.2 percent from 3-point range for the Cardinal, who have held each of their first 10 opponents to fewer than 70 points. Haase relies heavily on his five starters but received a boost against the Spartans from junior guard Isaac White, who scored 12 points in 18 minutes off the bench.

TIP-INS

1. Stanford holds a 4-1 lead in the all-time series, but San Francisco posted a 74-65 victory last season.

2. San Francisco has made at least 11 3-pointers in six of its first 11 games.

3. Stanford’s nine victories have all come by double digits, including four 20-point wins.

PREDICTION: Stanford 80, San Francisco 73