SETTING THE SCENE
Entering its final week of ACC action on a three-game winning streak, Stanford men's basketball travels to Notre Dame on Wednesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. PT. The action will air on ESPNU.
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Cardinal is 19-10 this season (11-7 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. The Pac-12 Most Improved Player last season, Raynaud is 14th nationally in scoring at 20.2 points per game and fourth in rebounding with 10.9 per night. He is second in the ACC in scoring and first in rebounding, and his 21 double-doubles this season pace the nation. No other major conference player has more than 17 (Johni Broome, Auburn; Norchad Omier, Baylor).
• Three players are averaging double figures, paced by Raynaud but also including Jaylen Blakes (13.2) 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.
WHAT'S AT STAKE
Stanford has already secured a first round bye in the ACC Tournament, and it enters the final weekend of ACC action on a three-game winning streak. Stanford can finish anywhere from 4-8 in the final ACC table, and can secure a double bye with two wins, two Wake Forest losses and splits from SMU and North Carolina over the last week. Stanford can secure a top-seven seed with one win or one Georgia Tech loss.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
Stanford finished the regular season with the ACC's second-best home record at 16-2 overall, including a 9-1 mark in the ACC. Duke is 9-0 in the ACC at home, while the Cardinal are one of four one-loss teams at home in conference play, along with Clemson, Louisville and North Carolina. Stanford has outscored all opponents at home by 12.2 points per game and 11.0 points per night in ACC play. The Cardinal locked up its best home record since 2014-15 in terms of wins (16) and since 2007-08 in winning percentage (88.9%).