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The Stanford Cardinal are on the outside looking into the 2015 NCAA tournament at the moment, but could take a major step forward with an away win over the No. 11 team in the country, the Utah Utes, on Thursday, Feb. 12. The Utes and the Cardinal face off at 9 p.m. ET on the PAC 12 Network.
Utah has been one of the most underrated teams in the country all season long. If you ignore their disappointing loss to the UCLA Bruins on the road, the Utes have only lost to top-10 opponents this season, the Kansas Jayhawks and the Arizona Wildcats. Arguably the most all-around skilled team in the country, the biggest missing link for Utah is a go-to scorer who can take control of the team late in games. Delon Wright is close, but he’s not there yet.
Stanford need to get things together, soon. They have the schedule and wins to make it to the 2015 NCAA tournament, but in a conference that seems to change daily, it’s plausible that the Cardinal could lose out to finish the season. Do I think they’ll do that? Of course not. However, every single team that they play for the remainder of the season is more than capable of winning a game in which they’re considered the underdog, meaning that a win over Utah could potentially solidify their place in the tournament now.
Unfortunately for Stanford, the Utes are a legitimate contender for the national title. They have not lost at home this season, and I don’t expect them to lose to Stanford in this game. Stanford are a good enough team to make the tournament, but they aren’t going to get their much needed late season victory over elite opposition on the road.
Taylor Sturm is a Featured Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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