Dec 21, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Stanford Cardinal ahead Maxime Raynaud (42) dunks in opposition to Oregon Geese guard Keeshawn Barthelemy (proper) throughout the first half at SAP Heart at San Jose. Obligatory Credit score: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Photos Clemson coach Brad Brownell stated the Tigers’ capability to stay to the defensive plan tends to be an enormous issue within the trajectory of video games.
That figures to be much more essential on Wednesday when Stanford arrives in Clemson, S.C., with the Atlantic Coast Convention’s main scorer to kick off 2025.
Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud is the ACC chief in factors (21.4) and rebounds (11.8) per recreation, whereas main the nation with 10 double-doubles in 12 video games. The 7-footer is certain to provide Clemson issues together with his versatility as he additionally tops the Cardinal with 21 baskets from 3-point vary.
Each Clemson (10-3, 2-0 ACC) and Stanford (9-3, 1-0) have been off since Dec. 21, when Clemson defeated visiting Wake Forest 73-62 and Stanford fell 76-61 to former Pac-12 foe Oregon in a neutral-site recreation.
Clemson has widespread choices on offense, with 4 gamers averaging greater than 9 factors per recreation.
“Each recreation is totally different,” Brownell stated. “A few of it’s primarily based on how the opposite workforce guards you.”
Jake Heidbreder supplied Clemson with 15 factors off the bench within the Wake Forest recreation, although he ranks seventh in workforce scoring this season with 5.1 factors per recreation.
“It is good to see Jake getting extra comfy and knocking a couple of photographs down,” Brownell stated.
Stanford coach Kyle Smith stated the Cardinal are adjusting with some roster fluctuations. There was progress for Stanford, even in defeats.
“We had some guys that made some constructive steps,” Smith stated. “… I feel we’re going to be good.”
Clemson has the fourth-most ACC victories (74) because the 2017-18 season. Stanford is a first-year ACC member.
The Cardinal’s solely ACC recreation to date got here in opposition to Cal, so this would be the program’s first outing of the season in opposition to a conventional ACC workforce. Stanford guard Jaylen Blakes is accustomed to Clemson from his three seasons at Duke. He is the second-leading scorer for the Cardinal with 15.3 factors per recreation.
Clemson’s solely two losses since mid-November have are available in extra time. Brownell stated with the campus on vacation break there’s the chance that the house crowd may not be as amped up as regular for an ACC recreation.
–Area Degree Media
