Through three games, Stanford men’s basketball (3-0, 0-0 ACC) has found a go-to scorer. However, now the Cardinal have to continue developing the supporting cast.

Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie continued his electric start to the season Wednesday night, pouring in 21 points — 15 after halftime — as Stanford closed on a 22-7 run to beat Montana State (1-3, 0-0 Big Sky) 77-68 at Maples Pavilion. The win marked the Cardinal’s third straight victory over a Big Sky opponent to open the season, but it again underscored how much they lean on their first-year star.

Okorie, who leads all Division I freshmen in scoring and is seventh overall in the nation at 25.3 points per game, shot 7-of-15 from the field and added three assists and multiple key defensive plays down the stretch. Head coach Kyle Smith admitted afterward that the offense runs heavily through the 6-foot-2 guard.

“We’re pretty Ebuka-centric,” Smith said following the game. “We’ve got to learn how to play without him. He’s not always going to play his best game, but at the end of the day he had a pretty good line and was one of the best players out there.”

Stanford led by as many as 10 in the first half before Montana State clawed back, taking a six-point lead with just over eight minutes remaining. From there, Okorie helped steady the Cardinal. Okorie converted a three-point play and later drilled a late-clock three-pointer during the closing surge, while Stanford tightened up defensively, forcing the Bobcats into tough one-on-one shots.

“He brought his best when it was needed,” Smith said of Okorie. “He’s a good competitor, to be able to do that as a freshman and stay locked in.”

The freshman did not lead the comeback effort by himself though. Senior guard Benny Gealer and senior forward Chisom Okpara provided vital balance, finishing with 16 and 15 points, respectively, while graduate forward AJ Rohosy added 13 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Gealer set the tone early, scoring Stanford’s first eight points and hitting a trio of three-pointers in the first half, then knocked down another big triple late as the Cardinal pulled away.

“I stayed aggressive. I’m a shooter because I trust my shot and just let the game come to me,” said Gealer, who finished 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. “So if I’m open and I get my feet under me, I think it helps our team if I’m aggressive and space the floor. It was a big team win for us. There was some adversity in the middle and our team was able to get over that hump.”

Okpara repeatedly punished the Bobcats inside, helping Stanford turn a cold 5-of-19 night from behind the arc into a paint-heavy attack that produced 46 points in the paint.

“The main thing was just playing defense and staying in front one-on-one,” Okpara said. “And so we just had to lock in on defense and stop the ball and just continue to play through the inside.”

Still, the reliance on the starting five was glaring. Stanford’s starters scored 73 of the team’s 77 points, with the bench going just 1-of-15 from the field and contributing four points. Smith pointed to illness and rhythm issues for some regular reserves, but he did not sugarcoat the production gap.

“Our bench did not produce,” Smith said. “I mean, we were 1-for-15 off the bench. That’s not good. It’s just not good enough. [Ryan Agarwal] had been sick, and he’s an important part of our deal. He’s just not 100% right now and needs to get back in the flow.”

One bright spot off the bench was freshman forward Oskar Giltay, who played only five minutes but delivered two blocks and two rebounds, sparking Stanford’s defensive intensity in the second half. Smith called the decision to insert Giltay, who had not practiced much this past week, a bit of a gamble.

“I was like, ‘You know what, let’s just put him in this situation,’ and he was huge,” Smith said. “Two blocked shots, an offensive rebound and a defensive rebound. He really flipped the game for us.”

Okpara was also quick to praise the contribution of Giltay. 

“For a freshman to stay ready like that, who didn’t play last game and didn’t play the first half, and then come in right away with great blocks and defensive presence, he gave us great energy and a big boost,” he said.

Even at 3-0, it is clear that this team is still learning how to play together, and how to win when Okorie is not carrying the load.

“It’s good to be 3-0, but we’re in the next-practice mentality,” Gealer said. “We’ve got four or five practices before the next game, and we’ve got to get better and work on our weaknesses. Our coaches always preach, ‘Respect everyone, fear no one.’”

Up next, Stanford welcomes the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to Maples Pavilion for a 7 p.m. tip-off on Tuesday.