Stanford tops California 89-81 in first ACC opener for former Pac-12 rivals
Stanford guard Oziyah Sellers, top, goes up to shoot against California forward Rytis Petraitis (31) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Credit: AP/Jeff Chiu
BERKELEY, Calif. — Jaylen Blakes and Maxime Raynaud scored 20 points apiece and Stanford beat California 89-81 on Saturday in the first Atlantic Coast Conference opener for the former Pac-12 rivals.
Blakes sank 7 of 13 shots with two 3-pointers and made all four of his free throws for the Cardinal (8-2). He added six assists and blocked a pair of shots. Raynaud made 8 of 15 shots — 4 of 6 from beyond the arc — and blocked five shots.
Oziyah Seller buried three 3-pointers and scored 16 for Stanford. Ryan Agarwal and reserve Chisom Okpara both scored 11.
Andrej Stojakovic led the Golden Bears (6-3) with 25 points on 11-for-25 shooting. Jovan Blacksher Jr. scored 14 and Mady Sissoko added 11 points and eight rebounds. Joshua Ola-Joseph contributed nine points and eight boards.
Blakes had 14 points, Raynaud scored 11 and Sellers added 10 to power Stanford to a 47-31 lead at halftime. The Cardinal shot 48.9% overall in the first 20 minutes, made 8 of 18 from 3-point range and all eight of their free throws. Cal shot 37.5% and missed all six of its 3-pointers. Stojakovic had 10 points for the Golden Bears.
Cal closed within 83-77 on a Stojakovic 3-pointer with 1:21 remaining and trailed by six after a Stojakovic dunk with 32 seconds left but got no closer.
Cal will host Cornell on Tuesday. Stanford is idle until it hosts Merrimack on Dec. 17.
Stanford guard Jaylen Blakes (21) drives to the basket against California guard Christian Tucker (22) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Berkeley, Calif., Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. Credit: AP/Jeff Chiu
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