| Stanford Opens CBI with 96-76 Win over Boise State
Cardinal wins in the first contest of its 16th consecutive postseason appearance
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STANFORD, Calif. – Jeremy Green scored 19 points to lead three players in double-figures, helping lift Stanford past Boise State 96-76 in the opening round of the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) on Wednesday night at Maples Pavilion.
Making its 16th straight appearance in the postseason, Stanford (19-13, 6-12 Pac-10) was playing for the first time in the second-year CBI, a single-elimination, 16-team field that features a best-of-three championship series. The Cardinal looked every bit like a postseason regular, as evidenced by the program's 28-19 record in 21 previous postseason appearances (16 NCAA Tournament, 5 NIT).
Next up for the Cardinal is a quarterfinal matchup at Wichita State on Monday, Mar. 23. The Shockers defeated Buffalo 84-73 on Monday night and will host for the second straight round.
Lawrence Hill added 18 points on 8-12 shooting while Landry Fields contributed 16 points, four rebounds and four assists. Hill and Fields, along with Green, paced a solid offensive attack that resulted in 53.5 percent shooting and 20 assists on 38 buckets.
Sticking with a season trend, Stanford was able to use the three-point basket to its advantage on offense and defense. The Cardinal made 8-21 attempts while the Broncos were just 5-22. Boise State held a 34-33 edge in the rebounding department but Stanford racked up 13 steals.
Boise State (19-13, 9-7 WAC) was led by Kurt Cunningham's 25 points on 11-16 shooting.
This one was in control by halftime, as Stanford raced out to a 51-31 lead at intermission. Stanford's lead hit double-digits at 18-7 just five minutes into the game following a lay-up from Fields. The Cardinal closed out the first half on 22-9 run.
Stanford continued to pour it on in the second half, taking its largest lead of 27 points at the 5:29 mark following a two-handed jam by Anthony Goods. |