Stanford, California — In an exciting matchup on Wednesday night, the Stanford Cardinal triumphed over Norfolk State with a score of 70-63, thanks in part to a standout performance by Maxime Raynaud, who recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite falling behind by as much as 14 points during the first half, Norfolk State surged ahead early in the second half, taking a 42-40 lead. The Cardinal responded effectively, especially on the defensive end, limiting the Spartans to only two field goals and four free throws over a span of eight and a half minutes. A pivotal three-point shot by Raynaud helped Stanford regain control, pushing the score to 60-51 with less than five minutes left on the clock.

Norfolk State’s Brian Moore Jr. then delivered a personal scoring streak, netting seven consecutive points, narrowing Stanford’s lead to 60-58 with just 2:50 remaining. However, Stanford’s Oziyah Sellers drained a crucial three-pointer shortly after and the team proceeded to sink 9 out of 10 free throws to secure the victory.

Joining Raynaud in the scoring for Stanford (now 5-0) were Jaylen Blake with 18 points and Oziyah Sellers contributing 15. Although the Cardinal struggled from the charity stripe, making only 15 of their 27 attempts, they managed to clinch the game with a strong finish. Overall, Stanford shot just 33% from the field and connected on 8 of 34 three-point attempts.

For Norfolk State (4-2), Moore was the standout player, delivering an impressive 24 points, alongside contributions from Christian Ings with 17 points and Jalen Myers with 10.

Stanford initially raced to a commanding 14-2 lead and maintained an 11-point advantage with just over four minutes left in the first half. However, a shooting drought where Stanford went 0-for-9 allowed the Spartans to close the gap, leaving the Cardinal leading 38-33 at the halftime break.

Raynaud, who has been recognized as the USBWA National Player of the Week, has been a pivotal figure for Stanford, averaging 21.3 points and 12.8 rebounds over the team’s opening four games of the season.