Stanford's star center has career game to keep Cardinal unbeaten

Jason Burke | Nov 17, 2024

Mar 13, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Maxime Raynaud (42) talks to a team mate on the bench before a California Bears free throw attempt during the first half at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Stanford center Maxime Raynaud is the team's best player, and on Sunday afternoon at Maples, he put up a career-high 33 points and snatched 14 rebounds, tying a season high, to help the Cardinal secure a 79-65 win over visiting UC Davis. With the win, Stanford is now 4-0 on the young season. This is the first time since 2019-20 that the team has started 4-0. They went 7-0 to begin the season that year.

Raynaud became the program’s 51st member of the 1,000-point club in the win, while matching a season-best with 14 rebounds. The Paris native made 13 field goals and tied a career-best with five 3-pointers. The double-double was his fourth in as many games this season - no other player in the ACC has more than two this year.

Maxime Raynaud's previous high in points scored had been the 29 he dropped against Oregon State on February 24 of last season. He reached that feat on 10-of-16 shooting and 1-of-4 from three. On Sunday he went 13-of-26, including 5-of-10 from behind the arc, so it took him more shots to get into that same territory in scoring, but those shots were also more available on Sunday with the rest of the team shooting 12-of-41, or 29% from the field.

Raynaud was 5-of-10 from three, but the rest of the team went a combined 3-of-18 (16.67%). The Cardinal still found a way to win despite the cold shooting up and down the roster, which is important as this team continues to grow under head coach Kyle Smith.

In addition to Raynaud, Duke transfer Jaylen Blakes put up 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting that included going 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Both players finished the game with a +14 in the plus-minus game, whic just happened to be the exact spread between Stanford and UC Davis.

Raynaud, a senior this season, was ranked as the No. 74 NBA Draft prospect heading into the year by ESPN. The Cardinal wraps up its five-game homestand on Wednesday, November 20 against Norfolk State. The contest tips off at 7 p.m. on ACC Network Extra