The way the Stanford Cardinal’s season ended last year was hard to swallow, even if you weren’t a fan. They started the year off by losing to a putrid California team at home. They ended the year by drubbing that same California team in the PAC 12 tournament. However, that loss likely killed their NCAA Tournament hopes, causing the Cardinal to miss the postseason for the 5th year in a row.

Their chances don’t look great this year either. The bright side? They still have Daejon Davis: the Sophomore combo-guard who made a big impact on a team stacked with talent. The down side? They lost just about everyone else. They lose three double-digit scorers in Reid Travis, Dorian Pickens, and Michael Humphrey who are now all gone. Reid Travis especially will hurt, as he averaged almost 20 PPG.

If the Cardinal are going to make it back to the Big Dance, then they will need their young freshmen and returning veterans to step up and fill the void left behind by Travis, Pickens and Humphrey.

Player To Watch

Daejon Davis (Point Guard, So.)

D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

One of two returning players who averaged 10+ PPG in 2017, this team all but officially belongs to Davis. A 6’3” sophomore combo-guard out of Seattle, WA, Davis will be expected to carry a very large load this season, especially with Reid Travis gone.

3 Key Non-Conference Games

• 11/12 at #8 North Carolina
• 11/28 vs Portland State
• 12/1 at #1 Kansas