UCLA Is Aiming to Do a Number on Cardinal

PALO ALTO — Dan Grunfeld had the basketball genes, no one doubted that.

The Stanford junior is the son of Ernie Grunfeld, who was a star player at Tennessee and is the president of basketball operations for the Washington Wizards. But it took the 6-foot-6 swingman until this season, after the Cardinal lost such stars as Josh Childress, Justin Davis, Joe Kirchofer and Matt Lotich plus coach Mike Montgomery from last season’s 30-2 Cardinal team, to burst into public consciousness.

Until a week ago, Grunfeld was possibly the most improved player in the country. He had gone from averaging 3.4 points a game last season to scoring 17.9 points a game this season, the biggest jump by an NCAA Division I player this season. And then, as the Cardinal was well on its way to defeating rival California on Feb. 12, Grunfeld landed awkwardly and tore a ligament in his right knee.

The Pacific 10 Conference’s second-leading scorer was lost for the season. The Cardinal (14-9 overall, 8-5 in Pac-10), half a game ahead of UCLA and in third place in the conference, is trying to sneak away with its 11th consecutive NCAA tournament bid without its best player.

Stanford plays host today to the Bruins (14-8, 8-6) and the winner will be alone in third place. When the Cardinal beat UCLA, 75-64, in Pauley Pavilion last month, Grunfeld scored 25 points.

“That’s tough for them,” UCLA Coach Ben Howland said. “Dan’s proven to be a great player and especially this late in the season, it’s a difficult adjustment for a team to make. But with the veterans they have, I know they’ll do it.”

Stanford has made a good start of adjusting. In its first game without Grunfeld, the Cardinal beat USC, 71-62, Thursday. First-year Coach Trent Johnson has moved versatile senior Nick Robinson from small forward to shooting guard. Taking Robinson’s place at forward is Fred Washington, a 6-5 sophomore from Torrance Bishop Montgomery High.

Against USC in his first start, Washington had a career-high 22 points on 11-for-17 shooting. When Stanford traveled to Southern California last month and swept UCLA and USC, Washington played only 12 minutes in the two games. He didn’t score, and he took only one shot. Reports from Stanford were that Washington, who had been beaten out of a starting spot by Grunfeld, was struggling with his game and with his psyche.

After that trip, Johnson and Washington had a long talk. Afterward, Johnson told Bay Area media that Washington “told me he felt like he couldn’t do anything right.” The talk calmed Washington down and last week Washington said that things between him and Johnson were cleared up. “I feel like things are OK now,” he said.

And while Stanford is down to nine scholarship players, there is still plenty of talented experience. Center Rob Little knows how to use his size (6-10, 260 pounds) and experience (he’s one of two seniors in the starting lineup). Last month against UCLA, Little pushed around the Bruins’ starting center, Michael Fey, and scored two successive and crucial second-half baskets against freshman Lorenzo Mata.

Junior point guard Chris Hernandez is one of the best in the country, said Howland, who considers the matchup of Hernandez against freshman Jordan Farmar perhaps the most important of the game. Junior forward Matt Haryasz has a 20-rebound effort this season and his long arms and good positioning on defense helped keep senior Dijon Thompson to six points, nearly 13 under his average, in Pauley last month.

“UCLA is playing with a lot more energy and is shooting the ball better,” Johnson said. “The Bruins are capable of playing at all speeds. We will need to limit their transition baskets. Our approach will be to stay on an even keel.”

An even keel is nice. Having Grunfeld was nicer.