How long has it been since UCLA defeated Stanford at Pauley
Pavilion?
Long enough that not a single Bruin player could identify the
last home victory over the Cardinal.
“I know they’ve won here every year since I’ve
been here,” starting center Michael Fey said.
Yet even Fey, a junior, was surprised when he learned of the
streak’s length.
When Stanford comes into Pauley to face UCLA tonight, it will
carry with it seven consecutive wins on the Bruins’ home
court. Not since the Bruins won the Pac-10 title in 1997 have they
beaten the Cardinal at home. Back then, the current freshmen class
was in fifth grade.
“It’s a pretty outstanding stat, but it
doesn’t affect us,” freshman point guard Jordan Farmar
said. “We’re a new team and they’re a different
team.”
The conference records reflect the turnaround Farmar is
referring to. Near the top of the conference standings and
undefeated at home, the young Bruins seem to have rebounded from
last year’s frustrating season.
Meanwhile, despite a veteran lineup that returns five of its top
eight players from last year’s 30-2 team, the Cardinal got
off to a sluggish start in Pac-10 play, dropping its first three
games. But Stanford seems to have returned to form, coming off two
convincing victories against Arizona and Cal.
“They started off a little slow, but they’re
starting to pick things up,” Fey said.
That’s in large part been due to point guard Chris
Hernandez. A Pac-10 first team selection last season, Hernandez
should pose a difficult challenge for UCLA point guard Jordan
Farmar. Besides having two extra years of experience, Hernandez is
also much stronger than the slight Bruin freshman.
“He benches over 300 pounds,” Howland said, noting
that Fey and Matt McKinney are the only Bruins he knows who can
lift that much. “He comes down and lowers his shoulder.
He’s very good at playing physical.”
For his part, Farmar sees ways he can counter Hernandez’s
advantages.
“I’ll have to use my quickness to my advantage to
get my hands on balls, deflect some things, make it a little
uncomfortable for him, and make it harder for him to make
plays,” Farmar said.
In the one game that Hernandez, who averages 14.1 points and
four assists per game, missed this season due to back spasms, the
Cardinal fell hard at home against Arizona State. Howland noted
that Hernandez’s presence on the floor enables the Cardinal
to get out and run, a style of play UCLA has become accustomed to
during recent games against Washington and Arizona. But Howland was
particularly impressed with Stanford’s ability to change the
game’s tempo.
“They push the ball hard on misses,” Howland said.
“But when they get a lead, they’re more like Washington
State. They’ll be patient and play that style in the
half-court where they don’t have to push.”
For the last seven years, the Cardinal has had the luxury of
playing patiently at Pauley Pavilion. And that’s a streak the
Bruins would like to push out the door.