NCAA Basketball: 2019 Hall of Fame Classic preview and predictions

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 22: A detail view of the Nike sneakers worn by Rashard Odomes #1 of the Oklahoma Sooners in the second half against the Mississippi Rebels during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 08: Coach Haase of the Cardinal looks on. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Stanford Cardinal

KenPom Ranking: No. 71 (8th in P12)

Early Season Record: 6-0

Stanford has been far from the most successful college basketball program in the country over the last several years. The Cardinal have made just one NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 11 seasons and have really struggled to translate recruiting victories into success on the court.

Through the opening few weeks of this campaign, though, Stanford has remained blemish-free with a 6-0 record while shooting up 21 spots in the KenPom rankings. Granted, they are yet to face a top-100 team in the country (347th in strength of schedule) so this event could be an eye-opener for the team, but the Cardinal have impressed through the opening weeks.

At the core of this success has been talented forward Oscar Da Silva. Although he has struggled from beyond the arc so far this season, the junior is posting averages of 15.8 points (59.3% FG), 5.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He is a dynamic player that is definitely taken the next step with his game so far this season. As one of the most experienced players on the roster, Da Silva has embraced a leadership role so far.

Additionally, though, highly-touted freshman Tyrell Terry has quickly made an impact for the Cardinal this season. He arrived in Palo Alto as the No. 109 overall recruit in the 2019 class and has started every game so far this season while performing admirably. Terry is averaging a hyper-efficient 15.2 points (.524/.450/.842), 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 steals per game. His impact is obvious on the court as an offensive leader.

With regard to their scheming, Stanford is a consistent defensive unit that limits their opponent from anywhere on the court. The Cardinal do a nice job containing ball-movement but can occasionally struggle in one-on-one situations. They currently rank 28th in the country in turnover rate forced in 34th in defensive rebounding rate. As a result, they are often able to control the possession game.

On the offensive end, the Cardinal are mostly focused on getting the ball to the basket and drawing fouls. With that said, though, they are currently hitting on 43.0% of their 3-point attempts so a higher emphasis on creating looks from distance might become prevalent in the coming weeks.

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