Stanford men’s basketball (10-5, 2-2 ACC) overcame a sluggish start to defeat Virginia Tech 70-59 on Wednesday evening in its ACC home opener.
The Cardinal offense struggled early, scoring just four points in the first 11 minutes while shooting 18.2% from the field and missing all six three-point attempts. The Hokies built a 12-point lead during that stretch, but adjustments sparked a turnaround for Stanford. Back-to-back triples from junior guard Oziyah Sellers late in the first half cut the deficit to one possession.
Stanford entered halftime trailing by five points despite shooting under 40% from the field and just 3 of 11 from beyond the arc. Senior Virginia Tech guard Ben Burnham caused problems for the Cardinal, scoring four baskets, including all of the Hokies’ three-pointers in the opening half.
After the break, star center Maxime Raynaud found his rhythm, draining two consecutive three-pointers to open Stanford’s scoring. The Cardinal then built a six-point lead following a nine-point run but lost momentum with turnovers on three straight possessions.
The game remained tight in the second half, with neither team gaining more than a one-possession advantage for much of the period. Highlights included a reverse dunk by Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal, followed immediately by a poster dunk from Stanford guard Donavin Young.
Burnham’s stellar play kept the Hokies competitive, but Stanford’s late surge proved decisive. With a minute remaining, sophomore guard Ryan Agarwal grabbed back-to-back offensive rebounds and sank two free throws to extend the lead to nine, sealing the win for the Cardinal.
Raynaud and Sellers led all scorers with 19 points each, while Burnham finished with 18. Fifth-year Stanford guard Jaylen Blakes added 17 points and six assists. Raynaud also recorded his 12th double-double of the season with 14 rebounds.
The victory marked Stanford’s second conference win and its first in three ACC games. The Cardinal will aim to continue its momentum on Saturday when it hosts the Virginia Cavaliers. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Maples Pavilion.