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Stanford Men's Hoops NCAA Tournament Hopes Suffer Setback

Jason Burke

Feb 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Oziyah Sellers (4) dribbles as Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) defends during the second half at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Feb 1, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Oziyah Sellers (4) dribbles as Southern Methodist Mustangs guard Boopie Miller (2) defends during the second half at Moody Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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Yesterday's game against the SMU Mustangs was a big one for the Stanford men's basketball team, facing a conference opponent with an identical record in the ACC and a similar record overall. With the Cardinal viewed as on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA tournament in March, a win could have done a world of good for a program looking to make their first appearance in the madness of March in over a decade.

That win was not in the cards for the Cardinal on Saturday. They travelled to Dallas, Texas to take on SMU, and ended up on the wrong side of an 85-61 blowout. Maxime Raynaud put up his typical double-double, with 18 points, ten boards and two assists, but his No. 2 in command, Jaylen Blakes, was held out of the contest due to a head injury.

Donavin Young was a game-time deicision with a lower leg injury, and ultimately did not play in this one. Both Young, a freshman, and Blakes, a senior, had been seeing big minutes for Stanford this season, with Blakes being a starter all year and Young earning as many as 34 minutes on the court in the team's one-point win over UNC.

Without Blakes, the team lacked that player that will drive to the basket and absorb contact, and without him, Stanford shot just ten free throws, making nine of them. By comparison, SMU shot 11-for-18 from the line.

The other big hurdle that Stanford was unable to overcome yesterday was turnovers. They had as many turnovers (14) as they did assists.

Oziyah Sellers was able to pick up some of the slack, shooting 8-of-16 from the floor, including 1-of-3 from deep and 2-of-2 from the line, to give him a team-high 19 points in 33 minutes.

Benny Gealer got 18 minutes of playing time and went 0-for-6 from the floor with two rebounds, four assists, and three turnovers. He also put up a -28 in the plus-minus category, which was a common theme for nearly every member of the team. Even Raynaud was -32 in this one.

This loss stings, given the potential implications that it may have on the program's trip to the tournament, and it also shows how important an addition Blakes has been to the roster this season.

With the win, SMU moves into fourth place in the ACC with an 8-3 record (17-5 overall), while Stanford drops to sixth in the conference with a 15-7 overall record and a 7-4 clip in the ACC.

Stanford's next game will be another big one, but this time it'll be at home at Maples, taking on Wake Forest, who are one game ahead of the Cardinal in the ACC standings with an 8-3 record. Stanford lost to the Demon Deacons back on January 15 on the road by a final of 80-67. A win in this one would put them at even with Wake Forest on the year, and also move them up in the standings.

That game is set to take place on Wednesday, February 5 at 8 p.m. (PT) and will air on ESPNU.

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Jason Burke
JASON BURKE

Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.

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