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2007 Stanford Basketball Preview & Predictions

Stanford was one and done in last year’s NCAA Tournament. Can the Cardinal get back to the dance and get out of the first round? Jimmy thinks so. Find out in this 2007 Stanford Cardinal predictions and season preview just how far Jimmy thinks they can go.

Stanford’s biggest problem last season was handling the basketball, and it was brutally exposed in a 20-point loss to Louisville in round one of the NCAA Tourney in which the Cardinal coughed it up 21 times.

We feel another year of maturity and constant preaching of taking care of the basketball by coach Trent Johnson will help Stanford be a more efficient team in 2007-08.

The frontcourt is perhaps the most dominant in the Pac-10. 7’0’’ sophomore twins Robin and Brook Lopez are the best center twins at Stanford since the Collins twins. All joking aside, these guys can play. Brook is the scorer and Robin is the defensive force. Many are considering Brook Lopez an NBA lottery pick. He averaged 12.6ppg last season after getting off to a late start due to fall back surgery. He scored 20 or more in six of the final 12 games of the season.

Robin’s offensive game is not nearly as developed as his brothers, but he is a beast on defense. He blocked 73 shots last season and had at least three in 12 different games. 6’8’’ forward, Lawrence Hill averaged 15.7ppg last season. He proved to be the most clutch player for the Cardinal with a pair of game winners over Virginia and Washington.

Junior Anthony Goods did not prove to be the answer as Stanford’s point, but he did show that he is an explosive scorer averaging 12.8ppg. He is really the only guy on the roster who can knock down threes and that ability will be very important to keep offensive balance. Johnson won’t rely on any one guy to play the point. He’ll likely let who ever has the most favorable matchup handle the rock to eliminate turnovers. Junior Mitch Johnson will be doing some ball handling as well as transfer Drew Shiller.

Ball handling will ultimately hold this Stanford team back, but the Cardinal is stacked in the frontcourt. With more experience, we feel Stanford will finish in the top half of the Pac-10 and advance out of the first round of the Tourney this season. Expect a solid year in Palo Alto.

December 6th, 2007