Things are different for Stanford this year and could be the same going forward. With their expanded conference, they play more conference games and fewer out of conference.
That isnt correct. Pac12 plays unbalanced schedule. Everyone doesnt play each other twice. Example USC/UCLA dont go to the two Oregon schools and dont host Colorado or Utah. Pac 12 teams still play 18 conference games
The Pac-12 won't test them, 99% correct, especially with Cal, who were recently hyped to challange them, falling apart this weekend in So Cal. Had USC not gone ice cold for 8 minutes in second half they "could" have beat Stanford. .so the UConn and Tennessee games are the only tough ones for them. For at least the prior 3 years, they were clearly 1-seed worthy. There is some feeling that this Cardinal team is not as good as last year's.I agree So the question is how to handle the weak schedule? Saragin has Stanford at 5 SOS and Maryland at 86. I will be willing to say that even with a so called weak Pac 12, Stanfords SOS will still be way ahead of Maryland. I'd rate them down if they had lost to Tennessee or if Maryland matches their 1-loss record. I think they are the 4th best team, so I expect them to get a 1. If they get a 2, so long as it is in the West, it won't hurt them.
Going back 8-10 years, Stanford had one of the best records most years but exited the tourney earlier than expected. When they got talent like Appel, Pedersen, and the O sisters, that changed. They can now compete with anyone.