CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In a thrilling finish, Jaylen Blakes, a graduate transfer from Duke, sank a close-range jumper with just 1.5 seconds remaining, securing Stanford a dramatic 72-71 victory over North Carolina on Saturday. This game marked their inaugural clash as Atlantic Coast Conference foes and was notably Stanford’s first triumph against the Tar Heels in 15 encounters.
Blakes received the inbounds pass in the backcourt following Seth Trimble’s two free throws for North Carolina with 7.7 seconds left on the clock. He skillfully navigated up the left side of the court, making contact with a defender before stepping back to deliver a perfectly executed shot.
The contest proved to be highly competitive, featuring 12 tied scores and 14 lead changes, with the largest margin being a seven-point lead. Each team managed to pull ahead by five points during the second half, highlighting the evenly matched nature of the game.
Maxime Raynaud was instrumental for the Cardinal, posting impressive stats of 24 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks. Meanwhile, Blakes contributed significantly with 20 points and seven assists, and Oziyah Sellers added 11 points to the total.
For the Tar Heels, RJ Davis emerged as the leading scorer with 19 points, but the defeat ended their successful run of four consecutive victories. Ven-Allen Lubin and Elliot Cadeau also made notable contributions with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
After Raynaud capitalized on three free throws, Sellers extended Stanford’s lead to 57-52 in the latter part of the second half. However, North Carolina quickly regrouped, launching a decisive 14-4 run to gain a 66-61 advantage, bolstered by two free throws from Davis with 4:23 remaining.
In the tense final minutes, Raynaud hit a crucial three-pointer, supplemented by four key free throws from Blakes, the last of which came with 24.1 seconds left, pushing Stanford back in front at 70-69.
The first half concluded with the Tar Heels leading narrowly at 36-35.
Looking ahead, North Carolina is set to face off against Wake Forest on Tuesday, while Stanford will kick off a three-game homestand against Miami on Wednesday.
