SANTA CLARA, Calif. — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday night, Stanford triumphed over Santa Clara with a nail-biting score of 71-69, thanks to an outstanding performance from Maxime Raynaud, who recorded 32 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Oziyah Sellers also contributed significantly, scoring 23 points, while Jaylen Blakes sealed the victory with a clutch jumper just two seconds before the final buzzer.

The game saw Sellers hitting a pivotal 3-pointer and showcasing his athleticism with a fast-break dunk following a steal and assist from Blakes. Raynaud then made a key block on the defensive end, which set up Sellers for another 3-pointer that tied the game at 67 with just over a minute remaining. Adama Bal managed to hit one out of two free throws to give Santa Clara a slight edge, but Raynaud equalized with a layup shortly after. Christoph Tilly added another free throw for Stanford, bringing the score to 69-69 with only eight seconds left on the clock.

As the clock ticked down, Blakes received the inbounds pass, raced the length of the court, and expertly made a pull-up jumper over the blocking attempt of 7-footer Tilly, clinching the game for Stanford.

Stanford, now holding a record of 6-0, faced a challenging first half where they trailed by as much as 11 points. The team rallied back and took its first lead early in the second half, with Sellers’ jumper signaling the start of a crucial 12-0 scoring run, which shifted the momentum in favor of the Cardinal. Kosy Akametu responded with a jumper for the Broncos, reclaiming the lead briefly a few minutes later until Stanford regained control in the final moments.

For Santa Clara, Tilly was the standout player, leading his team with 16 points on a commendable 6-of-9 shooting performance, followed by Carlos Stewart who chipped in 11 points and Bal who scored 10.

Raynaud, standing tall at 7 feet 1 inch, has been a force on the court this season, achieving double-doubles in every game so far, scoring over 20 points in four straight games, and reaching the 30-point mark in two of those games.