Stanford’s new-look men’s basketball team got a glimpse of both sides of the learning curve Saturday night in Santa Clara.
For stretches, the Cardinal looked ready to steal an exhibition on the road. They erased an 11-point first-half hole, punched their way to a seven-point lead late in the second half and got a sparkling 26-point debut from freshman guard Julius Price. But the finish belonged to Santa Clara, which closed with a 21-9 run and handed Stanford an 83-78 loss.
The Broncos, who came in fresh off their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 30 years, controlled much of the first half and led by as many as 11 points with 4:48 left before halftime. Stanford steadied itself behind Price and junior guard Christian Bliss, who each scored 10 points in the opening period. That push cut the deficit to 37-32 at the break.
Stanford’s best stretch came after halftime, when the offense found a better rhythm and the free throw line became a major weapon. The Cardinal went 23-for-25 from the stripe in the second half, and Price added 16 points after the break as Stanford climbed all the way to a 69-62 lead with 6:52 remaining.
Then the game flipped.
Santa Clara chipped away, erased the margin and turned Stanford’s late lead into a five-point deficit before a 3-pointer on the Broncos’ final possession sealed it. What had looked like a completed comeback instead became a sharp reminder that this roster is still sorting itself out before the games count.
Price was the headliner throughout. He finished 5-for-11 from the field, hit 15 of 19 free throws, and added three assists and two steals. Junior guard Anthony Batson Jr. gave Stanford 16 points off the bench, Bliss scored 15, and junior center Austin Maurer led the team with nine rebounds.
The box score had some encouraging numbers for Stanford. The Cardinal shot 46.2% from the field, finished 37-for-46 at the free throw line and got to the stripe often enough that the 46 attempts would have been the program’s most in a regular-season game since it took 47 against Washington on Feb. 22, 2018, according to Stanford Athletics.
But the mistakes were costly. Stanford turned the ball over 20 times, five more than Santa Clara, and was beaten 38-33 on the glass.
Exhibition results don’t count in the standings, but the night still gave Stanford a clear look at what’s working and what needs cleaning up. Price’s scoring, Batson’s bench production and the team’s aggression getting to the line all pointed in a positive direction. The turnovers told the other part of the story.
Stanford’s next exhibition comes Oct. 25 at Oregon. The Cardinal opens the regular season Nov. 2 at home against Eastern Washington.
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