Lopez Must Sit Until December: Stanford will start the season without sophomore center Brook Lopez, who is academically ineligible. One of the most talented players in the Pac-10, Lopez will miss much of the non-conference slate for the Cardinal, but he should be available for conference play if he improves his grades. Last season, Lopez averaged 12.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. He could become a high first-round pick in the 2008 NBA Draft if he comes ready to play at a high level in December. [10/9/07]