Norfolk State Spartans vs. Stanford Cardinal Recap NOV 20TH 2024
Norfolk State Spartans vs. Stanford Cardinal Recap NOV 20TH 2024
Oziyah Sellers scored seven of his 15 points in the last three minutes to lead Stanford to a 70-63 victory over visiting Norfolk State on Wednesday night.
Sellers, a transfer from Southern California, sank a 3-pointer to give the Cardinal a 63-58 lead with 2:34 to go. He subsequently made four consecutive free throws, and Stanford went up 67-60 with 35 seconds left.
After Norfolk State's Sin'Cere McMahon made a 3-pointer with 29 seconds remaining, the Cardinal's Jaylen Blakes made two free throws to help seal the win.
Stanford is 5-0 for the first time since starting 7-0 in the 2019-20 season.
Blakes made 10 of 12 free-throw attempts and tied his career high with 18 points. Maxime Raynaud led the Cardinal with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Norfolk State (4-2) got 24 points from Brian Moore Jr., 17 from Christian Ings and 10 from Jalen Myers.
Stanford scored 14 unanswered points to take a 14-2 lead five minutes into the game and never trailed thereafter.
Blakes, a graduate transfer from Duke, scored the first seven points of that run.
A 3-pointer by Ryan Agarwal gave Stanford a 30-15 lead, its largest of the game, with 8:25 left in the first half.
Stanford went more than seven minutes without making a field goal, which allowed Norfolk State to cut the gap to 35-31 with 1:28 left in the half.
The Cardinal missed eight consecutive shots from the field in that stretch.
Stanford led 38-33 at halftime behind Raynaud's 12 points and six rebounds.
The Cardinal again had a field-goal drought in the first five minutes of the second half, allowing Norfolk State to go on a 9-1 run and take a 42-40 lead with 14:54 left.
Sellers snapped Stanford's 0-for-6 start from the field in the second half by making a jumper with 14:32 left.
The basket ignited a 9-2 run that enabled the Cardinal to take a 49-44 lead with 8:52 remaining.
Moore scored 10 straight points for Norfolk State to help cut the deficit to 60-58 with 2:50 left.
Sellers made a 3-pointer on Stanford's ensuing possession.