by Jason Collins’ 14, as the No. 2-ranked Cardinal defeated Sacramento

State, 78-56, Saturday night at Maples Pavillion.

Stanford improved to 8-0 on the season and will likely move into the top spot in the polls on Monday due to Xavier’s upset of top-ranked

Cincinatti. The Hornets fell to 5-3.

Sacramento State led in the openning minutes and tied the game 15-15, 10 minutes into the first half. Stanford then proceeded to outscore the Hornets, 22-6 in the final minutes of the period to take a 37-21 lead at halftime.

The Cardinal continued to build on its lead early in the second half

before Sacramento State rallied back behind the play of senior Anthony

Flood and junior Pablo Gonzales.

Flood led all players with 22 points and set a career high with six

three-pointers. The Roseville, Calif., native kept Sacramento State

close in the second half by draining four-straight treys before fouling out.

Gonzales, who struggled in the first half, finished with 13 points. The Folsom, Calif., native was 5-for-11 in the second half.

Sacramento State will next travel to Houston on Tuesday before returning home to host Colorado State on Dec. 27. The game against the Rams will be played at Arco Arena and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.