Deadspin | Stanford continues ACC road slate against Pitt

[ad_1] Dec 21, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal ahead Maxime Raynaud (42) through the second half in opposition to the Oregon Geese at SAP Middle at San Jose. Necessary Credit score: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Photos Finishing its first lengthy journey as a part of the no-longer-accurately-named Atlantic Coast Convention, Stanford will attempt to hand Pitt its first league loss on Saturday.

The Cardinal (9-4, 1-1) opened the brand new 12 months with an 85-71 defeat at Clemson on Wednesday.

"The West to East factor wasn't a difficulty," Cardinal first-year coach Kyle Smith stated after the loss. "I really feel prefer it's enjoyable being within the ACC. It is fairly cool. Now we have now to go as much as Pittsburgh and take that problem on."

The Cardinal, losers of two straight, are led by 7-foot-1 middle Maxime Raynaud, who was the Pac-12's Most Improved Participant final season. He has put up even greater numbers for the Cardinal this season with 11 double-doubles and a 20.8 points-per-game common. Duke switch Jaylen Blakes is within the midst of a breakthrough season for Stanford, averaging 15.2 ppg.

The Panthers (11-2, 2-0) have received 4 straight by a mixed 89 factors and acquired 35 votes in the newest AP ballot. Pitt erased a 16-point deficit to Cal its final trip on Wednesday, getting 27 factors from Jaland Lowe en path to an 86-74 win. Lowe is tied for seventeenth within the nation at 6.2 assists a recreation.

"I believe Jaland is pretty much as good a guard as there's in school basketball," Pitt coach Jeff Capel stated. "With good gamers, you simply need to put them able the place they'll make reads and make performs."

Pitt was with out main scorer Ishmael Leggett in opposition to Cal. Capel stated Leggett rolled his ankle in apply on Dec. 28 and his lateral motion wasn't ample to play. Leggett's standing for the Stanford recreation was unknown. The Panthers additionally play at No. 4 Duke on Tuesday.

Together with averaging 17.5 factors and 6.1 rebounds per recreation, Leggett is taking pictures a career-high 51.3 p.c from the ground and 32.7 p.c from 3-point vary.

Pitt was already with out standout 6-foot-5 guard Damian Dunn, who dislocated his thumb in late November. Nonetheless, Dunn is on monitor to return someday this month, in accordance with Capel.

Pitt is scoring 84.2 factors a recreation, which ranks thirty second within the nation, and taking pictures 49 p.c from the ground. Stanford is permitting 71.1 ppg.