SAN FRANCISCO — Coach Johnny Dawkins enters his fifth season at Stanford with undeniable momentum and unprecedented expectations.

The Cardinal was picked fourth in the Pac-12 preseason media poll released Thursday, the highest placement of Dawkins’ tenure.

“I like the expectations,” Dawkins said at a Pac-12 basketball media event. “I like knowing that when we walk on the court, other teams look at us as not being a surprise — that everyone knows we have the potential to be a contender.”

Stanford had never been picked higher than sixth under Dawkins; nor has it finished higher than sixth.

But the Cardinal returns three starters from a team that won the National Invitation Tournament: guards Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright and wing Anthony Brown, who combined to average 33.6 points per game. A fourth player, forward Dwight Powell, started 11 games.

“We’re moving in the right direction, Dawkins said. “We gained a lot of momentum last year. Our kids played their best at the end, and we have a number of those kids returning.”

Bright, a junior, averaged a team-high 16.8 points in the NIT and shot 66.7 percent from 3-point range during the five-game event.

“Toward the end of last year, we just knew our roles,” Bright said. “Guys were making the right play, and we didn’t really care who scored. We were making the extra pass and guys were taking the shot. … I think it will definitely carry over to this next year.”

Stanford won’t meet the elevated expectations unless it makes substantial improvement at the free-throw line, where it shot 63.6 percent in league play. The percentage should improve this season, if for no other reason than three of Stanford’s worst free-throw shooters were seniors (Josh Owens, Andrew Zimmermann and Jarrett Mann). “We’ll definitely be better this year,” Dawkins said.

Replacing Owens in the low post is a different challenge. He shot 57.1 percent, led the team in rebounding with 5.8 per game and was its most physical presence underneath. The responsibility falls on a bevy of skilled but slender returnees: Powell, Stefan Nastic, Josh Huestis and John Gage. Freshman Grant Verhoeven is an option, as well. “We feel we have enough depth at the position,” Dawkins said. “We just need those kids to go out there and give us the type of production that Josh was able to give us.”