Stanford MBB Opens Up Regular Season at Home vs. Denver

Preview:

The Stanford men's basketball team will open its regular season at home against the Denver Pioneers on Monday, November 7. The game will tip off at 7 p.m. PT at Maples Pavilion and will be televised on Pac-12 Network.

The Cardinal are coming off a 16-16 season in which they finished ninth in the Pac-12. Stanford returns three starters from that team, including senior guard Daejon Davis, junior forward Oscar da Silva, and sophomore guard Bryce Wills.

Davis is the team's leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last season. Da Silva is a versatile forward who can score inside and out, averaging 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season. Wills is a promising young guard who averaged 10.4 points per game last season.

The Pioneers are coming off a 12-19 season in which they finished eighth in the Summit League. Denver returns three starters from that team, including senior guard Jalen Bradley, junior forward Adé Owókoyá, and sophomore guard Tevin Smith.

Bradley is the team's leading scorer, averaging 14.5 points per game last season. Owókoyá is a physical forward who can score inside and out, averaging 12.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season. Smith is a good shooter who averaged 10.8 points per game last season.

The game between Stanford and Denver will be a good test for both teams. The Cardinal will be looking to start the season strong at home, while the Pioneers will be looking to make a statement against a Pac-12 opponent.

Here are some things to watch for in the game:

The matchup between Davis and Bradley. Both players are talented guards who can score and create for others.
The battle in the paint. Both teams have talented big men in da Silva and Owókoyá.
The shooting of both teams. Stanford and Denver both have good shooters, so the team that shoots the ball better will likely win the game.