What We Learned From Stanford's Season Opening Win

This duo led the Cardinal to their season-opening win

Feb 26, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Maxime Raynaud (42) reacts during a press conference after defeating the Boston College Eagles at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, Stanford took on Portland State in a non-conference battle to open up the season. With both teams holding March Madness hopes, this could be a great resumé builder for both programs early on in the year. Entering the game, the Cardinal were double digit favorites, up 11.5.

The game started great for the Vikings. They went up a quick 8-2, forcing Stanford head coach Kyle Smith to call a 30-second timeout. But then, the Cardinal brought it back. The duo of Ebuka Okorie and Chisom Okpara helped the Cardinal succeed, as they went on to regain the lead quickly.

All of a sudden, Stanford had a solid advantage. But while the Cardinal tried to escape, Portland State just kept crawling back, keeping it fairly close the entire game. It wasn’t until a Benny Gealer layup put Stanford up a decent margin, 37-30, entering the half that there was a little bit of breathing room.

The second half was a similar feel, as the Cardinal continued to build their lead, while the Vikings attempted to close the gap. When the final horn sounded, Stanford came out with the win, 89 to 79.

The most notable player from the night was easily Ebuka Okorie, who scored the most points in a freshman debut for the Cardinal in program history. He had 26 points to go along with seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the win.

Chisom Okpara shined as well, going for 21 points and three boards. The guard duo of Benny Gealer and Jeremy Dent-Smith had double digits as well, and contributed positively.

The Vikings on the other hand were led by Sebastian Tidor off the bench. Tidor had 22 points and seven rebounds to help Portland State stay alive. Jaylin Henderson helped as well with 19 points as well. Even Terri Miller Jr., who had a disappointing night for his standards, still had 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

The most notable stat for the night was that Portland State committed 30 fouls, the most in school history. And it was a complete game changer. The Cardinal were able to get to the foul line all night, helping them score tons of points. Stanford got 36 free throws compared to Portland State’s 16.

On Saturday, Stanford takes on another Big Sky foe in Montana. They, in fact, were a March Madness team as a No. 14 seed. The Montana Grizzlies come to town for a Saturday afternoon thriller with top-off scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at Maples.