Anthony Brown finished with 25 points and Chasson Randle added 22, including a number of critical jumpers down the stretch, as Stanford landed an enormous win on the road at No. 9 Texas.
The importance of this win for the Cardinal can not be overstated. Stanford needed a marquis win on their resume, especially when you consider that they have already lost on the road against DePaul this season, and they got it. They have enough size inside that when Brown and Randle shoot the way that they did on Tuesday, they can compete against anyone.
And here’s the thing: a month ago, before the season started, if you were to tell me that the Cardinals would win this game, I wouldn’t have been surprised. As the saying goes, style wins the fight, and Stanford’s style simply matches up well with an Isaiah Taylor-less Texas.
The difference is that Stanford just has not been all that good this year; it’s hard to take a team seriously when they lose by 15 to DePaul.
This win is going to look very good come March.
For Texas, this was a perfect example of just how much they miss Taylor. The Longhorns, down the stretch, couldn’t generate good looks at the rim. And Taylor? He’s a shot-creator, a quick point guard that can get into the lane and make plays, and there’s no one else on the roster that can replace him.