Stanford Welcomes Georgia Tech For ACC Contest

Feb 4, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) dunks against Clemson Tigers forward Chase Thompson (3) during the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

We are nearing three and a half weeks since the Stanford Cardinal have won a basketball game, and it’s clear that they are desperate for a win. Over the past three weeks, Stanford has lost their rivalry game at home, lost to a previously 9-12 Florida State program, and are now in absolute need of a win. Will it come on Saturday? There is certainly a shot.

Georgia Tech is certainly not a top team in the ACC, but they have put together a solid resumé in the grand scheme of college basketball. They sit at 11-12, with a 2-8 record in conference play, and have lost seven of their last eight games. Their sole win in that stretch came against NC State on the road. While potential is clearly there, the Yellow Jackets’ consistency needs tons of work.

The Jackets’ roster is built interestingly, with seven players averaging over eight points per game, a rare feat in college basketball. Georgia Tech is led by Kowacie Reeves Jr., Baye Ndongo, and Lamar Washington, who all sit at double digit point averages, while Mouhamed Sylla, Akai Fleming, Jaeden Mustaf, and Kam Craft are trailing just a touch behind.

Georgia Tech has games where they have scored up to 95 points, but also produced as low as 56. Just like Stanford, they are a very bipolar team, meaning this game could be a high scoring offensive shootout, but could just as well could be a defensive dogfight where both teams throw up prayers for points.

The most notable thing to take away is the fact that this game is very difficult to predict on all fronts.

The Yellow Jackets match up with the Cardinal well, as they are a team of size. All seven top scorers are 6-foot-4 and taller, with many being big guards. With Stanford’s small sharpshooting backcourt, they may match up poorly defensively, as it will be tougher to shoot, and poorly offensively as they will be tougher to guard inside. Stanford’s key to victory is keeping Georgia Tech outside the paint.

ESPN analytics is giving Stanford a 75.3% chance to win at home, despite losing five games in a row. The numbers trust the Cardinal on their home floor, where they have both been able to topple ranked opponents, as well as struggle against subpar competition.

We are going to slightly agree with the numbers here. While Stanford’s recent play isn’t headed in the right direction, it's not like Georgia Tech is on fire either.

Both teams have lost a lot in the last few weeks, which means it’s time to trust the home team to get it done on their home floor. However, we do think that the Jackets cover the 8.5 point spread, as Stanford will win 68-64. While we are picking a relatively low scoring game, we do see a world where it’s an offensive shootout.

Tune in for this must-win game for both the Cardinal and Yellow Jackets this weekend at Maples Pavilion.