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The Stanford Cardinal are back and ranked No. 2 ahead of the 2020-21 basketball season. Expectations are high and with the Cardinal leading the way, the Pac-12 has been dubbed a superconference this season with hopes of placing multiple teams as top seeds in the eventual 2021 NCAA Tournament.
Head coach Tara VanDerveer is just four wins shy of history and matching the legendary Pat Summitt for all-time wins while the Cardinal themselves have been picked as preseason favorite to win the Pac-12.
Marking the first time they’ve been selected to win the conference since 2014-15, the returning core for the Cardinal are as strong as they ever have been. In fact, Haley Jones, Lexie Hull and Kiana Williams were each named to the Pac-12 All-Conference preseason team. Stanford returns 84% of their production from a season ago that saw them finish second in the Pac-12 and seventh nationally.
With a few key losses elsewhere in the conference, most notably Sabrina Ionescu from Oregon, the biggest hurdle for Stanford this year will be themselves and staying healthy.
We can expect great games and a terrific team with elite-level coaching from this Stanford team, and here’s how to watch them vs Cal Poly as they open their season.
How to watch
Where: Maples Pavilion, Stanford, California — 11:00 am
Radio: TuneIN
Stats: Live Stats
History: Stanford is 7-1 lifetime versus Cal Poly, winning the last six games
Last Meeting: Stanford W, 83-55, November 11, 2016