SETTING THE SCENE
One of two 4-0 teams in the ACC, Stanford concludes its five-game homestand on Wednesday, Nov. 20 with a 7 p.m. tip against Norfolk State. The contest will air on ACC Network Extra.
THE STARTING FIVE
• The Cardinal is off to a 4-0 start with wins over Denver, Cal State Fullerton, Northern Arizona and UC Davis. The first three wins each had a margin over 20 points, marking a first for the program in a three-game winning streak since 2007. Stanford is 4-0 for the first time since 2019.
• Stanford’s roster holds an exciting mix of returning players, transfers and freshmen, led by All-Pac-12 standout, and one of the best centers in the country, Maxime Raynaud.
• The Pac-12 Most Improved Player last season, Raynaud is second in the ACC in scoring at 21.3 points per game and is leading the ACC in rebounding with 12.8 per night. He ranks third nationally in rebounds per game and is the only player in the country with four double-doubles this season.
• Four players are averaging double figures, paced by Raynaud but also including Jaylen Blakes (15.0), Oziyah Sellers (12.8) and Benny Gealer (12.5). Blakes is eighth nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (9.5:1).
• Kyle Smith joined the Cardinal from Washington State as the reigning Pac-12 Coach of the Year, where he led the Cougars to 25 wins and the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2023-24. Smith brought his entire staff from Washington State to the Farm along with program icon Eric Reveno, who was at Oregon State from 2022-24 and was previously on the Cardinal bench from 1997-2006.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Maxime Raynaud became the program's first to win ACC Player of the Week honors, as announced by the league office on Monday, Nov. 18. Raynaud averaged 27.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 55 percent from beyond the arc in wins over Northern Arizona (Nov. 12) and UC Davis (Nov. 17). He tallied a career day against the Aggies, totaling a career high 33 points to go with a season-high matching 14 rebounds. He also had 22 points and 11 rebounds against Northern Arizona.
He was also named USBWA National Player of the Week on Tuesday.