In a pivotal ACC matchup on Saturday night, the Stanford Cardinal leaned on the hot hand of Oziyah Sellers to secure a 78-71 victory over the Florida State Seminoles. Sellers, a sophomore guard, delivered a career-best performance, pouring in 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including an impressive 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. The win improved Stanford’s record to 14-6 overall and 6-3 in conference play, while Florida State fell to 13-7 and 4-5 in the ACC.
Sellers provided the spark early and often for the Cardinal. Six-and-a-half minutes into the game, he drained a 3-pointer to give Stanford a lead it would not relinquish. Moments later, Sellers electrified the Maples Pavilion crowd with back-to-back dunks. Stanford capitalized on the momentum, with Maxime Raynaud adding a basket in the lane to extend the lead to 18-10 with 9:34 left in the first half.
Florida State fought back, cutting the deficit to two points after Daquan Davis threw down a thunderous dunk. However, Stanford answered emphatically with an 11-3 run fueled by a 3-pointer from Benny Gealer and two more triples from Sellers. The Cardinal entered halftime with a comfortable 33-25 advantage.
The Seminoles struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 32% from the field (8-of-25) and connecting on only 1-of-7 from 3-point range. Although they showed more fight in the second half, they never got closer than seven points as Stanford’s balanced attack kept them at bay.
Stanford’s depth proved critical, with Gealer and Jaylen Blakes contributing 13 points apiece. Meanwhile, Maxime Raynaud, who ranks among the nations top players in scoring (21.1 points per game) and rebounding (11.6 per game), had an uncharacteristically quiet offensive outing. Despite finishing with a season-low eight points on 4-of-11 shooting, Raynaud dominated the glass with 14 rebounds, providing a vital presence in the paint.
For Florida State, Jamir Watkins led the way with 20 points, while Malique Ewin added 16, and Davis chipped in 14. The Seminoles, who have struggled on the road this season (1-5 in true road games), were unable to overcome their early shooting woes.
Both teams now look ahead to midweek matchups. Florida State returns home to face Virginia Tech on Wednesday, hoping to bounce back and solidify their ACC standing. Stanford, meanwhile, wraps up a three-game homestand with a Wednesday clash against Syracuse, aiming to maintain their strong form and continue climbing the ACC leaderboard.
With Sellers finding his rhythm and Stanford showcasing its versatility, the Cardinal have established themselves as a formidable force in the ACC.