SETTING THE SCENE
Stanford continues its three-game homestand on Saturday, Jan. 25 with a visit from Florida State. The 4 p.m. tip will air on ACC Network.
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Cardinal is off to a 13-6 start (5-3 ACC), including conference wins over North Carolina, California, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Miami, and quadrant one NET wins over Santa Clara and the Tar Heels. The Cardinal is 10-1 at home this season and 3-0 in ACC play.
• Stanford’s roster holds an exciting mix of returning players, transfers and freshmen, led by one of the premier centers in the country, Maxime Raynaud. The Pac-12 Most Improved Player last season, Raynaud is fifth nationally in scoring at 21.2 points per game and third in rebounding with 11.6 per night. He leads the ACC in scoring and rebounding, and his 16 double-doubles this season pace the nation. No other player in the country has more than 13 and no other major conference player has more than 10.|
• Three players are averaging double figures, paced by Raynaud but also including Jaylen Blakes (14.7) and Oziyah Sellers (13.9). Both players are posting career-best numbers by a comfortable margin.
• Blakes has showcased his clutch gene this season with game winning baskets in the closing seconds against both Santa Clara and North Carolina. Blakes made national headlines on Jan. 18 with his last-second winner against the Tar Heels, while his sister, Mikayla, a freshman at Vanderbilt, scored a game-winner of her own less than 24 hours later against Tennessee.
• Kyle Smith joined the Cardinal from Washington State as the reigning Pac-12 Coach of the Year, where he led the Cougars to 25 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24.
LOOKING FOR A FLORIDA SWEEP
After a 37-point win over Miami on Wednesday, Jan. 22, Stanford will look to finish an unbeaten week against the Florida schools. Stanford holds a 1-0 all-time record against Florida State, winning by 10 points in the 2022 Orlando Invitational. Brandon Angel led the Cardinal in that win with 22 points, as Stanford enjoyed a plus-18 advantage on the glass and forced 15 turnovers.
LAST TIME OUT
Stanford continued its stretch of dominance at Maples Pavilion, coasting to an 88-51 victory over Miami on Jan. 22. Maxime Raynaud led the Cardinal with his nation-leading 16th double-double of the season, scoring 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, with 12 rebounds. Five players finished in double figures, as Chisom Okpara and Jaylen Blakes scored 12 points apiece, with each also distributing four assists. The win was Stanford's most lopsided in a conference game since defeating Washington State by 48 points, 98-50, on Feb. 28, 2019.