Jan 31, 2002
By RICK EYMER
Associated Press Writer
STANFORD, Calif. - Casey Jacobsen turned in one of the finest performances ever by a Stanford player, scoring 49 points as the 18th-ranked Cardinal beat Arizona State 90-81 on Thursday night.
Julian Barnes added 18 points for Stanford (13-5, 6-3), one of two Pac-10 teams unbeaten at home this season, while Curtis Borchardt had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Jacobsen scored 31 points in the second half, and was 14-of-22 overall from the field. Only Hank Luisetti - with 50 points against Duquesne in 1937 - has scored more in a Stanford uniform.
Jacobsen's effort was the most ever by a player at Maples Pavilion, and the first time a Cardinal reached 40 points in a game since Ron Tomsic did it during the 1954-55 season. The former Maples mark was held by Arizona's Damon Stoudamire with 45.
Jacobsen entered the game with a 21.3 scoring average against the Sun Devils, his best against any opponent.
Chad Prewitt scored 18 points to lead Arizona State (11-8, 4-6), which lost its third in four games. The Sun Devils lost their eighth straight to Stanford and for the 12th time in 13 games. Curtis Millage added 14 points.
The Sun Devils led by nine points early in the second half after Tommy Smith - who finished with 12 points - hit a jumper, but Stanford began to rally behind the torrid shooting of Jacobsen. The Cardinal shot 67 percent in the second half.
Borchardt completed a three-point play with 9:36 remaining to tie the game at 62 and Jacobsen hit an NBA 3-pointer less than 30 seconds later to put the Cardinal in front for good.
Arizona State, playing its fourth straight ranked opponent, flirted with its second consecutive upset. The Sun Devils have been idle since beating then-No. 10 Arizona on Jan. 23.
Prewitt hit consecutive 3-pointers to spark a 15-2 run that gave the Sun Devils a 31-27 lead with 5:29 left in the first half. Arizona State, which lost for just the second time in 13 games when leading at halftime, eventually extended its lead to 44-39 at the break.
Stanford, which used one starting lineup for all 34 games last season, used its fourth combination this season on Thursday when Teyo Johnson made his first start of the year. Johnson, a receiver on the football team, became the first Cardinal to start a game in football and basketball the same school year since John Paye in 1986.
Johnson replaced Justin Davis, who started the first 17 games. Davis, 1-of-6 from the foul line against the Sun Devils, is a 43 percent free throw shooter. He is shooting 63 percent from the field.