Stanford Pulls Rank for Another Big Win

Stanford’s top dog and only returning starter is out until at least mid-December because of a hamstring injury, leaving the Cardinal with a bunch of promising but relatively unproven players.

Auburn has one of the most gifted forwards around and an experienced supporting cast.

Which team do you think is looking like world-beaters only a few days after Thanksgiving?

Ninth-ranked Stanford now merits strong consideration as the Pacific 10 Conference favorite after adding another impressive line to its early-season resume with a 67-58 victory over No. 2 Auburn on Saturday before 11,847 in the sixth John Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond.

Playing without its senior leader, injured forward Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen, Stanford survived Auburn’s relentless full-court pressure and dominated in the post to start 5-0 for the first time since winning its first 18 games during its Final Four season two years ago.

It was Stanford’s second big victory of the season. The Cardinal knocked off Duke in New York a little over two weeks ago en route to winning the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament.

“Sure, I think you’re surprised to be 5-0 because of the caliber of competition we’ve played on the road in a tough environment,” Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery said. “But we’ve got good players, and we’ve got good young players.

“Somebody’s going to have to beat us--I mean, they’re going to have make plays, they’re going to have to do something. We’re not going to come out and beat ourselves.”

Especially not inside, where the Cardinal outrebounded the Tigers, 46-29.

“I thought they just took it to us down in the paint,” Auburn Coach Cliff Ellis said. “They have a lot of depth, they were strong inside, and that was the game. When you play a game against a physical team like that, you have to stand your ground and hold your ground.”

Perhaps the most promising aspect of the victory for the Cardinal was that three freshmen played leading roles. Center Curtis Borchardt scored 15 points and made two critical baskets down the stretch.

Swingman Casey Jacobsen (eight points, five rebounds) played like the phenom everyone expects him to be, displaying preternatural maturity. And center Jason Collins (12 points, 10 rebounds) helped limit Auburn forward Chris Porter to nine points--only two in the second half--on three-of-13 shooting.

Junior forward Jarron Collins, Jason’s twin brother, added 13 points and six rebounds.

The game was much closer than the final score indicated. Stanford led, 60-58, with 1:02 remaining after Porter converted two free throws.

Auburn (2-1) had a chance to tie the score after a Borchardt free throw increased the lead to 61-58, but Doc Robinson and Porter missed consecutive three-point attempts and Jay Heard stepped out of bounds after grabbing the rebound off Porter’s shot.

The Cardinal then made six consecutive free throws to secure the victory.

The Tigers were led by junior guard Scott Pohlman, who scored 21 points despite sitting out practice since Tuesday because of food poisoning. Pohlman scored 10 points during a 12-0 Auburn run that turned a 49-40 deficit into a 52-49 lead with 6:30 left. Shortly thereafter, Borchardt made a baseline jump shot and a three-point shot on consecutive possessions to give Stanford the lead for good at 59-56.

“He hit two big shots,” Ellis said. “In games like this it’s going to be a big shot that’s made [that makes the difference]. They made the big shots and you have to give them credit.”

In the end Auburn could count on neither its pressing defense--which helped force 13 first-half turnovers--or Porter for an answer. The Tigers forced only three second-half turnovers and Porter was not a factor.

“I don’t think I was physical enough on the inside to score points and get rebounds,” said Porter, who played longer than he would have liked (34 minutes) because several of his teammates were in foul trouble. “The shots wouldn’t go down. I had open looks but nothing would fall.”

Auburn’s No. 2 ranking is certain to change this week. The Tigers’ victories have come against Alabama Birmingham and Arkansas Pine Bluff, and Ellis isn’t convinced that his team is one of the best in the nation.

“It’s obvious that we’re not [the No. 2 team in the country], or we would have won the game,” Ellis said.

“We’ve got to work hard, but we don’t need to be concerned about our ranking until the end of the year. That’s the one that’s important.”