Stanford Basketball Tournament Projection with One Game Remaining

After a three-game stretch that has helped the Stanford Cardinal reach one of their highest peaks of the season, Stanford is looking ahead to their final game of the season, where the Cardinal take on a solid NC State Wolfpack program.

Stanford will have a lot at stake in this game, as a win against a team ranked No. 34 in the NET ratings could help bolster their case just enough to be one of the final teams in the NCAA tournament.

Stanford is coming into the game at 19-11, going 8-9 in conference play thus far. The Cardinal are on the bubble currently, and it looks like it’s going to take a few more wins to reach March Madness. Once the regular season ends on Saturday with the NC State game, the Cardinal will prepare for the ACC tournament next week.

While it seems like the Cardinal are doing everything they can to reach the NCAA tournament, there may not be a bad second option, and it’s one that Stanford is used to.

Stanford's fate in the NIT?

If those wins end up not coming to fruition, then Stanford is most likely headed to the NIT as a highly ranked squad, potentially even a No. 1 team. Last season the Cardinal earned a No. 2 seed in the NIT as the first step in the program's return to relevance.

If they were to earn a No. 1 seed, Stanford would host as many as three straight games, and if the Cardinal won out, they would play in Indianapolis for the NIT Final Four.

Stanford has a long history as a part of the tournament. Back in the Johnny Dawkins era, the Cardinal won two NIT championships back in 2012 and 2015. They also won one back in 1991.

Last season, the Cardinal were part of the San Francisco Regional, with the USF Dons as the host. Stanford beat the Cal State Northridge Matadors in the first round, before taking on the Kent State Golden Flashes in the second round.

Unfortunately for the Cardinal, that’s where their season ultimately ended. Stanford lost 77-75, a heartbreak for Stanford fans, who finally realized it would be the last time stars Maxime Raynaud and Jaylen Blakes would step on the court at Maples Pavilion.

Over the last few weeks, it has felt as if college basketball fans, and Stanford fans in particular in this instance, see an appearance in March Madness as do or die, where an appearance means a successful season, whereas a miss means a failure.

However, if the Cardinal end up headed to the NIT, that could be a great backup option to showcase Stanford’s talent, coaching, and overall fanbase one final time throughout the 2025-26 season. And for seniors such as Benny Gealer, Jeremy Dent-Smith, and AJ Rohosy, it will be one final time that they can perform on their home court in Palo Alto.

This would also give the Stanford fans one last chance to show their appreciation to freshman Ebuka Okorie, who has a tough decision to make about his future when the season ends.

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