BLACKSBURG, Va. – Ebuka Okorie stepped back and sank the game-winning 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds to go, and Stanford men’s basketball escaped Cassell Coliseum with a 69-68 victory over Virginia Tech. Stanford improves to 13-3 this season with a 2-1 record in the ACC.
Okorie scored a game-high 31 points and tied a career-high with six assists in the victory, going 11-for-18 from the floor with four 3-pointers, which also matched a career-high, and a 5-for-5 mark at the free throw line. He moved into a tie with Casey Jacobsen (1999-00) on Stanford’s made free throws list in the program’s freshman history with 97.
The game was the third for Okorie with at least 30 points in the last five games, and the fourth with at least 28 points. His 26 points scored in the second half are the most for a Cardinal player since at least 2018, and he scored or assisted on 40 of Stanford’s final 42 points.
Donavin Young scored a career-high 11 points, including a trio of 3-pointers all in the second half. Stanford held a 30-20 advantage in the paint, with Oskar Giltay leading with eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
The Cardinal trailed most of the game, but ended the night on a 17-3 run, including a 14-1 over the final 2:09 to secure the victory. A 3-pointer from Benny Gealer – who ended with nine points and a trio of triples – cut a Virginia Tech (12-4, 1-2 ACC) lead to 10 with 2:35 to go, and after a pair of Hokie free throws, Okorie scored eight points over a stretch of 1:01 to cut the lead to four with 1:08 to play. A 3-pointer from Young cut the lead to one, while Okorie scored the game-winner with three seconds to play. Giltay stole the ensuing Virginia Tech inbounds pass to secure the victory.
Stanford improves to 2-0 against Virginia Tech in ACC games and 2-2 all-time in the series history. The team’s 13-3 start is its best since going 15-2 to open the 2019-20 campaign.
Stanford returns to action on Saturday, Jan. 10 against No. 23/23 Virginia. The 11:15 a.m. PT (2:15 p.m. ET) tip will air on the CW.