March Madness is building up some extreme suspense as we move to our first rounds. On the very first day of the event, we have Cameron Brink and Stanford going against the 15th-seed Spartans. With one being the cream of the crop and another coming into the NCAA tournament with both regular season and MEAC wins, this matchup is going to be important. However, while many believe that this is a one-sided game, it would be interesting to learn how the tables may turn.

Before we set our minds on who the winner is going to be, let us jot down some essential notes.

Injury report and starting line up

Thankfully, there is no injury notified for any of the teams, meaning they will play with their complete rosters. For the Cardinals, junior forward Kiki Iriafen will be entering the floor first. Along with her will be Cameron Brink, Hannah Jump, Elena Bosgana, and Brooke Demetre.

Opposing these five starters will be Norfolk State’s Diamond Johnson, Kierra Wheeler, Anjanae Richardson, Da’naijah Williams, and Da’Brya Clark. The Cardinals will be hosting the Spartans at their Maples Pavillion, making the game a little harder for the visitors with their home crowd. With all the top performers active and healthy, tomorrow’s game could turn out to be a gripping one. Let us now look at which side the bar would slide more.

What do the stats say about the teams?

Stanford will come at Norfolk State with a full thrust to win their opening game. Currently, the Cardinals average 77.5 ppg, making them the 23rd-best in the nation. Their 46.31 FG% brings them to the 20th position in the nation as well. Further, they stand at 7th spot in rebounds with 44.58 RPG this season. Apart from this, the Cardinals also bring 18.1 assists per game with a 12.4 turnover, bringing their ratio to 1.46. This makes them marginally better than the overall table toppers — South Carolina.

The Cardinals may have lost in the Pac-12 finals, but their roster did not show any signs of weakness whatsoever in front of JuJu Watkins and the Trojans. Stanford can count on KiKi Iriafen for an average of 18.6 points and 11 rebounds. Along with her is the senior Forward Cameron Brink bringing 17.8 points and 12 rebounds with a delivery of 2.9 assists.

On the other hand, the Spartans will try to defend themselves with their 67.5 average points. They shoot 40.7 from the field and 73.1 from the free throw line per game. They have a pretty decent rebounding rate at 36.8 pg, steals 12.6 times per game and dishes out 12.8 assists. Overall, their 27-5 win-loss record shows that they have the potential to beat good teams if luck sides with them.

The Spartans have Diamond Johnson with a great average of 20.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.8 steals. The junior point guard also dishes out 2.9 assists. Kierra Wheeler can also be the player to stand out with her 17.7 ppg and 9.7 rebounds. Both the teams are at their best, but the Cardinals take an edge over Norfolk State as projected favorites.

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Who will shine in Cameron Brink & co. vs the Spartans?

It is going to be an essential game for both teams as it could mean the end of their March Madness journey. While the Spartans have a bad seed, their performance in the regular season has shown their worth. Further, Cameron Brink and the Cardinals are continuing to display some impressive basketball and also have a chance to cruise to the next level.

With maximum votes going to the latter, the fans can look forward to either a good time or an upset win. However, with the way the Cardinals are going, it is hard to beat them.

Which team do you think will win this round?

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