PALM DESERT, Calif. – Capping a two-game trip away from home, Stanford men’s basketball dropped a tight contest to Grand Canyon in the Acrisure Holiday Classic, 78-71, at Acrisure Arena. Stanford moves to 6-1 this season with the result.
Maxime Raynaud led the offense with 29 points and 11 rebounds, tallying his nation-leading seventh double-double in seven games to open the season. Raynaud, who entered the night as the national leader in rebounds per game, is the first Cardinal player with seven consecutive double-doubles since Reid Travis had seven in a row from Feb. 24-March 19, 2018.
Jaylen Blakes had a career-high 22 points, including a 9-for-9 mark from the free throw line, to go with six rebounds and five assists, while Oziyah Sellers was also in double figures with 12 points. Stanford was 19-for-24 at the free throw line but made just four of 22 3-point attempts.
Facing Grand Canyon (4-2) for the first time in program history, the Cardinal jumped out to a 20-13 advantage through 8:32 of action. The Lopes made a run to tie the game, and Raynaud scored five of Stanford’s last seven in the period to give the Cardinal the lead at the half, 33-32.
Stanford led for the first eight minutes of the second half, but the Lopes tallied a 16-5 run in the middle of the period to take the lead. Blakes and Raynaud combined for 28 points in the second half, but the Cardinal could not overcome the late deficit.
The Cardinal returns to Maples Pavilion to face Cal Poly on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. The action will air on ACC Network Extra.