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Stanford hosts Northwestern State, looks to go 2-0

Nov 10, 2007 - 2:00 PM Northwestern St (0-1) at No. 21 Stanford (1-0) 10:00 pm EST

PALO ALTO, California (Ticker) - Stanford did not need sophomore star Brook Lopez in the season opener. The Cardinal hope to continue that trend throughout their non-conference schedule.

No. 21 Stanford look to go 2-0 without their center when they host Northwestern State on Saturday.

The 7-foot Lopez, who averaged 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game last season, has been ruled academically ineligible for the fall quarter. He will be able to practice with the team during that time and can become eligible for the entire Pac-10 campaign and any postseason competition if he meets NCAA requirements.

Drew Shiller scored 18 points and Anthony Goods added 17 as Stanford shot 62 percent to crush Harvard, 111-56, on Friday.

Stanford returns four starters from a team that finished 18-13 last season and made the NCAA Tournament.

Northwestern State returns three starters from a team that went 17-15 last season, making it to their third straight Southland Conference championship game before losing to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

The Demons lost their season opener to UC Santa Barbara on Friday, 92-71, and were led by Damon Jones, who scored 17 points.

Northwestern State last had an NCAA Tournament berth in 2006 when they knocked off Iowa, 64-63, as a No. 14 seed in the first round.

Stanford is 2-0 all-time against Southland Conference opponents but has never played Northwestern State.