Stanford has no interest in defending the NIT title it won last season â?? the Cardinal would like to be back in the NCAA tournament. Stanford opens its season Friday against the University of San Francisco on a neutral court in Oakland. For Stanford, winning the second-best college postseason tournament could eventually prove to be the catapult to better things. The Cardinal gained much-needed confidence and are much more battled-tested after the championship run. San Francisco will be hard-pressed to repeat last seasonâ??s 20-win campaign after losing four starters.
TV: 11 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network.
ABOUT STANFORD (2011-12: 26-11): Sophomore guard Chasson Randle averaged a team-best 13.8 points last season while putting together one of the best freshman seasons in school history. Todd Lichti (17.2 in 1985-86) and Casey Jacobsen (14.5 in 1999-2000) are the only Stanford freshmen to post a higher scoring average. Junior guard Aaron Bright averaged 11.7 points last season and was terrific during the five-game NIT title run by averaging 16.8 points and shooting 64.1 percent from the field. Junior wing Anthony Brown (8.1 points) and junior forward Dwight Powell (5.8 points, 4.6 rebounds) also are back.
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO (2011-12: 20-14): The Dons are in transition after an offseason exodus of players. Six players transferred, including star forward Perris Blackwell leaving for Washington and starting guard Mikey Williams transferring to Cal State Fullerton. The departures leave San Francisco short on talent and depth, but junior point guard Cody Doolin (9.3 points, 3.8 assists) is back to run the offense. Junior forward Cole Dickerson (7.1 points, 4.0 rebounds) will have ample opportunity to become a frontcourt standout.
TIP-INS
1. Stanford has a 44-21 series lead but the teams havenâ??t met since the Cardinal beat San Francisco 71-56 on Nov. 23, 2005.
2. Dons junior guard Deâ??End Parker was ruled immediately eligible by the NCAA after transferring from UCLA because his decision involved returning to his hometown of San Francisco to be near his ill mother.
3. Former Cardinal star Mark Madsen is in his first season as an assistant coach at his alma mater. Madsen was a key member of Stanfordâ??s 1998 Final Four squad.
PREDICTION: Stanford 83, San Francisco 60.
