Two Players to Watch in Stanford-Colorado Showdown

The Cardinal will be looking to snap their losing streak against Colorado, and it could come down to this matchup

Dec 17, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Chisom Okpara (10) looks to pass over Texas-Arlington Mavericks forward/center Cameron Jackson (34) in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Stanford takes on Colorado later today in Phoenix, AZ for the Hall of Fame Series. They will be the first of two games in the MTE (multi team event), with Arizona vs San Diego State following.

Stanford vs Colorado will begin at 6 p.m. MT (local time), and 5 p.m. PT for Stanford fans. Arizona vs San Diego State will begin at 8:30 p.m. MT, 7:30 p.m. PT.

The two former Pac 12 rivals will play for the first time in two seasons. Most recently, the Buffaloes took care of business 81-71 in Boulder during the 2023-24 campaign.

Interestingly, The Buffs have won seven straight over the Cardinal dating back to the 2020-21 season. However, Colorado has not beaten Stanford in the Kyle Smith era, or even faced the Cardinal in that time, just yet. Stanford looks to end their seven-game losing streak on Saturday, though they'll likely have to do so without standout freshman Ebuka Okorie, who has missed the past two games.

Coach Smith provided an update on when to expect Okorie back after Stanford's most recent win.

Colorado has had a phenomenal start to the year, going nearly undefeated at 10-1, with just a singular loss against Colorado State on the road. They have secured big wins over Providence, Alabama State, San Francisco and Washington, proving that they are a legit team.

While Stanford has a similar record at 9-2, their losses have been much worse. They fell to two mid-majors at home, in Seattle and UNLV. Their big wins have come against St. Louis and Minnesota, both in the Acrisure Series.

The most interesting matchup of Saturday's game will be Colorado's Sebastian Rancik against Stanford's Chisom Okpara.

Rancik has been one of the Buffaloes' best players this season despite being just a sophomore. He has put up an impressive 13.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game this season, and his 6-foot-11 frame allows him to tower over smaller defenders.

While Rancik has performed well, he has struggled at being efficient this season, especially against big programs. He struggled against Washington, San Francisco and Providence, going just 7-for-27 against the three combined. However, he always finds a way to put up points.

He can shoot the three ball, sitting at 36.6% so far this season, get in the paint, and score at both levels. If he can stay more efficient with his shots, especially against bigger teams, he has a bright future ahead.

Okpara has a very different frame, but one that can compete. The forward is just 6-foot-8 by comparison, but he has a lot more mass. He is a more physical player, and gets to the paint with ease, making it seem as though no one can stop him.

He is averaging 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists this year, and has had three 20 point performances. Unlike Rancik, he seems to step up in big games a bit more.

This matchup will be very interesting. These are two power forwards with very different builds, but also very similar skillsets that will be going head to head. It could even be fair to say that the winner between the matchup could go ahead and seal a win for their program tonight.

Saturday night’s game will be a thriller, and Rancik vs Okpara is just one of the great matchups we will see in Phoenix this weekend.