ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 8 Power Rankings

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: The Arizona State Sun Devils display the championship trophy after defeating the Utah State Aggies, 87-82 in the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 21: The Arizona State Sun Devils display the championship trophy after defeating the Utah State Aggies, 87-82 in the MGM Resorts Main Event basketball tournament at T-Mobile Arena on November 21, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – DECEMBER 01: Dedric Lawson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks and Oscar da Silva #13 of the Stanford Cardinal battle for a rebound under the basket during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on December 01, 2018 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – DECEMBER 01: Dedric Lawson #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks and Oscar da Silva #13 of the Stanford Cardinal battle for a rebound under the basket during the game at Allen Fieldhouse on December 01, 2018 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

10. Stanford Cardinal (6-5) LW: 9

Stanford’s subpar record once came with a caveat. Linked to defeats at the hands of North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida and Kansas, the Cardinal’s capabilities were perhaps unshaped.

But after scraping by 3-8 Fresno State and falling in a road test at San Francisco, perhaps those assumptions were too buoyant.

The 1-1 week was marred by much of Stanford’s prior inconsistencies, including a heavy reliance on KZ Okpala. The sophomore took a combined 30 shots in the two games, finishing with 25 points against the Spartans before a dismal 11-point, 4-of-15 shooting performance against the Dons.

However, Okpala wasn’t the only Cardinal to shoot poorly. The team shot just above 40 percent in the two games and converted 26-of-41 (63 percent) of its attempts from the free throw line.

Complemented with an assist-to-turnover ratio of .87, coach Jerod Haase hasn’t yet built an offensive flow without Reid Travis. If shots don’t fall, it’s hard for the Cardinal to display an identity.

Heading to conference play, Stanford must also construct consistent bench production. Much of the team’s output comes from Okpala and sophomore guard Daejon Davis, and the second unit provided only 27 percent of scoring a week ago.

Without it, Travis’ departure – and a potential entrance from Okpala in the NBA Draft – could move the Stanford program back more years from competing.

– Booth