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ASU Basketball: 2019 Pac-12 Week 11 Power Rankings

By Trevor Booth

DAYTON, OH - MARCH 14: Head coach Bobby Hurley of the Arizona State Sun Devils reacts in the second half against the Syracuse Orange during the First Four of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 14, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
DAYTON, OH - MARCH 14: Head coach Bobby Hurley of the Arizona State Sun Devils reacts in the second half against the Syracuse Orange during the First Four of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 14, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 12: KZ Okpala #0 of the Stanford Cardinal dunks against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 12: KZ Okpala #0 of the Stanford Cardinal dunks against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at the Dean Smith Center on November 12, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

7. Stanford Cardinal (8-8, 1-3 Pac-12) LW: 9

After an underwhelming 0-3 start to conference play, the Cardinal broke into the win column with an impressive win over Arizona State on Saturday. The 14-point victory brought Stanford back to an 8-8 record.

The bounce-back victory was a breath of fresh air for a team that had lost four of their last five, despite excellent play from KZ Okpala. Contributions all over the court were vital to the upset.

Okpala played 30 minutes on the night and scored 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting. It wasn’t just the scoring, however, that impressed Cardinal fans around the Bay Area. Okpala’s NBA-ready skillset was on full display, as the sophomore forward grabbed nine rebounds, dished two assists and compiled two steals on the night.

Oscar Da Silva, a product of Munich, Germany, also excelled for the Trees. He scored 21 points, blocked two shots and shot 9-of-11 from the field. His 31 minutes proved to be by far his most effective and efficient performance to date.

Shooting 81 percent from the field and having the ability to step out and knock down a three gave the Cardinal an added dynamic they have sorely missed in previous weeks.

This last win could be seen as a beacon of hope for this team, who still has time to turn things around in an wide-open conference.

If they are to turn things around, it has to start now. Next on the docket is a matchup against one of the better teams in the Pac-12 this Thursday, Washington.

– Geraffo

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