ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥

Who:ÌýÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Wildcats (11-4, 2-0) at Stanford Cardinal (7-7, 0-2)

Where:ÌýMaples Pavilion, Palo Alto, California

When:Ìý9 p.m. Wednesday

Watch:ÌýPac-12 Networks

Listen:Ìý1290-AM, 107.5-FM

Follow:ÌýÌýon Twitter /ÌýÌýon Facebook

G Justin Coleman (5-10 senior)

G Brandon Williams (6-2 freshman)

F Brandon Randolph (6-6 sophomore)

F Emmanuel Akot (6-7 sophomore)

C Chase Jeter (6-10 junior)

G Daejon Davis (6-3 sophomore)

G Cormac Ryan (6-5 freshman)

F Bryce Wills (6-6 freshman)

F KZ Okpala (6-9 sophomore)

C Oscar da Silva (6-9 sophomore)

Series history

Stanford is the only Pac-12 team never to have beaten ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ under Sean Miller. The Wildcats have won 17 straight games against the Cardinal, starting with a 101-87 win in 2008-09 under UA interim coach Russ Pennell. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won at Maples Pavilion last season 73-71 when Dusan Ristic scored 18 points and 75-67 at McKale Center when Sean Miller returned from a five-day absence following an ESPN report that he discussed a pay-for-play scheme.

This season

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ will also face the Cardinal on Sunday, Feb. 24, at McKale Center.

Stanford overview

Stanford might have had the Pac-12’s Player of the Year if forward Reid Travis didn’t take off for Kentucky as a grad transfer this season, and the youthful Cardinal isn’t expected to challenge for the conference title as a result. But it has turned itself into a perimeter-oriented team with plenty of athleticism that can be difficult to defend without fouling.

The Cardinal’s favorite thing to do is go through forward KZ Okpala, a remarkably skilled player for his size who can shoot from all distances and gets to the line an average of 5.6 times a game.

As a team, Stanford has the 97th highest rate of free throws taken to field goals taken. Sophomore guard Daejon Davis is the engine to the Cardinal’s uptempo attack, having good quickness for a 6-3 guard and knowing how to use it. Something good usually happens when the ball is in his hands: Davis shoots 46.5 percent from the field, takes 3.9 free throws a game and also posts the 117th best assist rate in the country.

Freshman Cormac Ryan, meanwhile, has become a prolific 3-point shooter while Stanford has big, mobile wing players in freshman Bryce Wills, Kodye Pugh and Marcus Sheffield, who missed all of last season with a leg injury.

Inside, the Cardinal can give a traditional look with 7-footer Josh Sharma or go with mobile big forwards Oscar de la Silva and Jaiden Delaire.

Stanford

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ held Okpala to just a nine-point average on 33 percent shooting over two games last season, but he’s harder to contain now. He takes 26.1 percent of Stanford’s shots when he’s on the floor, and either gets to the basket or hits 3s at the 78th best rate in the country (46.3 percent).

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥

Sean Miller said after the Wildcats edged Utah that the junior wing has “really emerged into our defensive stopper,� and Stanford will test him. The Cardinal is loaded with high-scoring wings who can shoot 3s, drive and pass or pick up fouls.

“Okpala was one of our conference’s best overall freshmen a year ago and he’s such a unique player because he’s a perimeter player who’s 6-foot-8. A year ago, although he could really drive the ball he didn’t shoot the 3-point shot. You can tell he’s put in a lot of work. Daejon Davis, I would say the same thing about him: He’s a big, strong, physical guard and he’s picked up right where he left off. You have those two guys and a talented freshman in (Ryan), who’s one of the best freshmen in the conference this year.

— UA coach Sean Miller

PAC-12 after dark? (It’s 2:45 am, team bus on I-5, LA to PA)Truckstop conference? (Well, we did stop at Ralph’s in Valley for snacks/restroom)“Crash� Davis? (Yes Daejon & peeps 😴)Sun. night game at USC plus prohibitive SFO weather mess = major league road test

— John Platz (@JFPlatz)

While ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ is the rare Pac-12 team to fly charter to all road games, the Wildcats’ opponent Wednesday probably wishes they could more than ever.

After losing at USC in a 5 p.m. game on Sunday, Stanford took a bus to Los Angeles airport for a quick shuttle home, only to find flights to the Bay area were canceled and delayed up to four hours because of bad weather.

“It was a logistical nightmare,� said Pac-12 Networks analyst Roxy Bernstein, who was ticketed to fly with the Cardinal on the same commercial flight to San Francisco.

Telling the story Tuesday on the Pac-12’s SiriusXM channel, Bernstein said that the Cardinal, instead of waiting potentially hours or possibly even overnight, opted to take a bus all the way home instead. Bernstein said the team arrived at about 4 a.m., though Stanford broadcaster John Platz tweeted a photo of Stanford coach Jerod Haase and a few team members inside a Ralph’s supermarket at 2:45 a.m.

“Pac-12 after dark?� Platz tweeted. “We did stop at Ralph’s in the Valley for snacks/restroom.... Sun night game at USC plus prohibitive SFO weather mess = major league road test.�

Asked again this week about freshman guard Devonaire Doutrive, who played only 6 of 45 possible minutes on Saturday against Utah, Miller said again that he loves the freshman guard’s talent, attitude and confidence. But this time Miller also noted that the 6-5 Doutrive is 173 pounds and that sometimes on the wing “he can be matched up with a guy 230 ... that’s 57 pounds and it’s not to his advantage.�

Leading scorer Brandon Randolph is even skinner on the wing – listed at 6-6 and 175 pounds – but Miller indicated Doutrive needed time before becoming a full-time factor.

“I think his future is really, really bright,� Miller said. “But there’s time and circumstances (in which) it’s just not in the cards to put him in a position to be successful.�

Ryan Luther on his only season with ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ and adjusting to his role:

— The Wildcaster (@TheWildcaster)

When Ryan Luther played his last game for Pitt just over a year ago, he was averaging a double-double and leading the Panthers in scoring (12.7 points) and rebounding (10.1).

Over 14 games at ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Luther is averaging 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds while averaging the sixth-most minutes on the team.

But Luther spoke positively this week about his experience so far at UA despite a finger injury and moving from the starting lineup to the bench in late November.

“It’s been awesome so far,� Luther said. “I’d just say probably everything I expected, maybe even more so, with a great group of guys and coaches and school in general. I love every part of it so far.

“I don’t really get too concerned about starting or not. I know either way I’m going to have a chance to impact the game and help my team win. So I’m just trying to have a good mind-set and contribute in any way that I can.�

5

Different time zones the Wildcats will have played in this season after Wednesday’s game, one of only three teams to do so this season along with Gonzaga and Mississippi Valley State.

17

Years of age for Stanford’s Bryce Wills when preseason practices started last fall. He turned 18 on Oct. 13, making him the youngest player in the Pac-12.

21.1

Percent of the time Stanford possessions end in a turnover, the 61st worst rate in Division I.

65.0

Chase Jeter’s field goal percentage, second in the Pac-12.