SETTING THE SCENE
After a 78-73 win over California in the second round, Stanford continues the ACC Tournament in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 13 against No. 13/13 Louisville. The game will air at 4 p.m. PT on ESPN2.
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Cardinal holds a 20-12 record this season (11-9 ACC), including ACC wins over North Carolina, SMU, California (2x), Virginia Tech, Virginia, Florida State, Syracuse, NC State, Boston College and Miami, including two quadrant one NET wins. The Cardinal went 16-2 at home this season and 9-1 in ACC play.
• Stanford’s roster holds an exciting mix of returning players, transfers and freshmen, led by the premier center in the country, Maxime Raynaud. Selected to the All-ACC first team, Raynaud is 13th nationally in scoring at 20.2 points per game and fifth in rebounding with 10.8 per night. He is second in the ACC in scoring and first in rebounding, and his 23 double-doubles this season pace the nation. No other major conference player has more than 19, and he is the only player in the country averaging at least 20 and 10.
• Three players are averaging double figures, paced by Raynaud but also including Oziyah Sellers (13.3) and Jaylen Blakes (13.2). 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.
SECOND ROUND WIN
Stanford men’s basketball earned its third victory of the season over rival California, 78-73, in the second round of the ACC Tournament. The Cardinal has won five straight games with the Golden Bears, marking the first 5-0 stretch since winning six in a row from March 8, 2003-Jan. 13, 2006. Maxime Raynaud led the Cardinal with 23 points and eight rebounds, while Jaylen Blakes had 21 points and six assists.