Georgia Tech Ga. Tech/Stanford Stanford Men's College Basketball recap on ESPN

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) -- After overcoming the pressure of Georgia Tech's full-court intensity, the Stanford Cardinal think they're ready to face the pressure of playing the nation's top team.

Casey Jacobsen scored 19 points, and Jason Collins had 16 points and 11 rebounds as third-ranked Stanford beat Georgia Tech 80-66 to win the Stanford Invitational on Tuesday night. "This is exactly the kind of game this team needed at this time," Jacobsen said. "They were by far the best team we've played, and they gave us a good run, but we expected that of this team. They're from the ACC, like Duke."

Stanford also got 15 points apiece from Ryan Mendez, who hit four 3-pointers, and Jarron Collins to remain undefeated before Thursday's showdown with top-ranked Duke at the Pete Newell Challenge in Oakland.

"I feel we're ready to compete now at that level," Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. "It should be very interesting."

In their toughest test of the young season, the Cardinal (8-0) handled Georgia Tech's full-court press and won with their familiar formula of tough inside play and proficient outside shooting. Twin brothers Jason and Jarron Collins combined for 31 points and 19 rebounds while playing excellent defense.

"I've been watching Stanford for years, and they're just as good now as they've ever been," Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "The thing that strikes me most about them is how good they are on the glass. They killed us there. They're very sound offensively, even this early in the season."

While Duke already has won tough games this year, the Yellow Jackets were the Cardinal's first well-respected opponent.

The Cardinal needed a few minutes to adjust to Georgia Tech's press, which caused five straight turnovers early in the first half. The Yellow Jackets led 24-20 before the Cardinal scored 12 unanswered points during an 18-3 run.

"We knew they were going to press us. It's a pace they want to play," Montgomery said. "We handled it pretty well. Had we finished better inside, we really would have had more of an impact on the score."

Presses have rattled the Cardinal in the past, but Montgomery has been working on his team's press-breaking strategies with unusual frequency this season. The Cardinal held a practice specifically for that purpose before a game with Long Beach State earlier this month.

"Pressing means easy transition buckets in the open floor," Mendez said. "It's all about our confidence in tough situations. We were calm against the press tonight."

Shaun Fein led the Yellow Jackets with 24 points, hitting six 3-pointers. Tony Akins and Marvin Lewis scored 11 points apiece for Georgia Tech.

The Collins twins led Stanford out of trouble with strong play around the basket, particularly against shot-blocking Georgia Tech center Alvin Jones, who was limited to five rebounds and two blocks.

"Alvin Jones is a great post man, but Jason showed him something tonight," Mendez said.

Despite the loss, the Yellow Jackets (6-3), who took Stanford to overtime before losing their meeting last season, built on their strong start to the season with a game effort against the bigger Cardinal. Fein single-handedly kept Georgia Tech close in the second half with 11 points in the first seven minutes after halftime.

The Yellow Jackets didn't get many calls at Maples Pavilion, and their frustration showed in Jones' angry reaction to a hard foul by Mendez in the closing minutes. Jones fouled out with six seconds to play.

"He's just got to mature a little more," Hewitt said. "We need him to step up and get to a different level to start making more offensive plays inside."

Playing for the second time in two nights after a 16-day break, Stanford won its holiday tournament for the third straight season. In the consolation game, Idaho State beat Sacred Heart 95-59.

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Men's College Basketball Scoreboard

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Stanford Clubhouse