Stanford Dominates SMU on Senior Night, Creating Tournament Chaos

Saturday’s ACC matchup between Stanford and SMU was a mix of everything that could ever be wanted in a college basketball game. Not only were emotions taking place, but it was also a game between two teams on the bubble of the NCAA tournament, with hopes of picking up a win to better their resumé.

Stanford came into the game at 17-11, sitting at 12th in the ACC at 6-9. Their primary wins came against North Carolina, Louisville, and St. Louis, however the Cardinal have been a victim of consistency failing to win stretches of games.

Regardless, the Cardinal came into the game just a couple of crucial wins short of a serious bid for the NCAA Tournament, with a win over SMU having the potential to severely help those chances.

SMU came into the game with a much better resumé. The Mustangs sat at 19-9 overall and 8-7 in conference play, ranking eighth of 17 teams. SMU has beaten big teams such as North Carolina, Louisville, and Texas A&M, and with a similar resume to the Cardinal, the Mustangs picking up a big win on the road could severely help them prove a point to March Madness voters.

Fortunately for Stanford, they got the better of SMU all night.

Stanford pulls away

It started at the opening tip. Stanford set the tone early, going up 12-7 early courtesy of Ebuka Okorie’s offensive firepower. SMU just simply couldn’t stop the Cardinal offense from rolling.

While the Mustangs kept it close throughout the first half, it was Benny Gealer who came to the rescue on almost every possession. Gealer hit three first half threes, ultimately giving Stanford a somewhat comfortable seven-point lead heading into the break.

With a 34-27 lead at halftime, many expected SMU to come rolling back, as it seemed like they had severely underperformed in the first half. But the Cardinal kept their foot on the gas throughout the entire second half, never allowing the Mustangs to get a glimmer of hope at making a run to get back into this one.

Stanford pulled out to a quick 14 point lead in the second half, courtesy of the entire team. AJ Rohosy, Ryan Agarwal, Ebuka Okorie, Benny Gealer, and Aidan Cammann all hit shots to help the Cardinal increase their lead.

While at times the Mustangs showed life, the Cardinal couldn’t be stopped. Stanford led by as much as 21 and never looked back. When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read Stanford 95, SMU 75. What a victory for the Cardinal in their hoe finale for 2025-26.

It was quite the all around effort on Senior Night, but Benny Gealer had a career-high 30 points to lead the Cardinal to victory. He hit seven threes and notched six steals in the victory. Ebuka Okorie put up 22 points in the win, while Aidan Cammann had an underrated 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

It was all Boopie Miller and Jaron Pierre Jr. for SMU. Miller finished with 26 points while Pierre Jr. had 21 of his own. However, without enough stops, it’s tough to win basketball games, especially on the road.

Can Stanford get back on the bubble?

Stanford now has a tough two-game stretch on the road where they will take on both Notre Dame and NC State to end their season. Two wins could mean a shot at the tournament, while two losses could further late season disappointment. NC State is ranked as the No. 29 team in the NET rankings, which would be a huge road win for the Cardinal. They moved up to No. 65 in the rankings following the win.

Notre Dame held Stanford in check at Maples to begin ACC play. The Cardinal will be looking to return the favor to wrap up the regular season in 2025-26.

SMU will take on Miami at home before traveling to Florida State to end their season. The Florida battles will certainly determine how good of a team the Mustangs truly are.

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