Setting the Scene
As the Stanford men's basketball team gears up to honor its senior class, they're set to face SMU at Maples Pavilion this Saturday. Tip-off is at 3 p.m., and fans can catch the action on the ACC Network.
The Starting Five
Stanford is having a solid season with a 17-11 overall record and a 6-9 mark in the ACC. They've secured four quadrant one NET victories, including wins over then-ranked No.
14/15 North Carolina, No. 16/13 Louisville, Saint Louis, and Virginia Tech.
Ebuka Okorie is turning heads nationwide, ranking fifth in scoring with 22.8 points per game. Among freshmen, he trails only BYU's AJ Dybantsa and leads the ACC, edging out Duke's Cameron Boozer. Okorie's impressive play has earned him spots on top-10 lists for national freshman of the year and a place on the Naismith Trophy Late-Season Team.
The Cardinal claimed victory at the Acrisure Invitational in Palm Desert, highlighted by Benny Gealer's buzzer-beater against Saint Louis on November 28.
Only 36 teams nationwide boast at least four quadrant one wins, and Stanford is among the eight ACC teams to achieve this. Impressively, three of their victories are over current AP top-25 opponents.
Maxime Raynaud, a 2025 Stanford graduate, is making waves in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings. He's leading all NBA rookies with 11 double-doubles this season, showcasing the strength of Stanford's NBA alumni.
Senior Salute
This Saturday, Stanford will honor six seniors for their contributions both on and off the court. Ryan Agarwal, Jeremy Dent-Smith, Benny Gealer, Chisom Okpara, AJ Rohosy, and Jaylen Thompson will be celebrated for their achievements in athletics, academics, and within the Stanford community.
Okorie: One of a Kind
Ebuka Okorie is having a standout season, averaging 22.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. His scoring prowess ranks him fifth nationally and second among freshmen, just behind AJ Dybantsa. Okorie has made history as the first Stanford freshman since Brook Lopez in 2007 to score 20 points in four consecutive games and the first player since Landry Fields in 2010 to notch back-to-back 30-point games.
Okorie has shattered the Stanford freshman scoring record three times this season. He first set the record with 32 points against Colorado, then surpassed it with 36 against North Carolina, and finally dropped 40 against Georgia Tech.
His 40-point game was the first for a Stanford player since Casey Jacobsen in 2002, making him one of just a few ACC freshmen to achieve such a feat. The last ACC freshman guards to average 20 points per game were Kenny Anderson and Mark Price, highlighting the rarity of Okorie's accomplishments.