Tag: ACC

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Cardinal need to regroup on offensive strategy; Stanford faces Louisville Friday

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Stanford Cardinal Chisom Okpara was the only player on Stanford in double figures as the Cardinal strugggled to get any offense going against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (Sports Illustrated file photo)

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Chisom Okpara finished with 13 points and was one of Stanford’s leading scorers Tueday night — what adjustments do you think the team needs to make offensively after a tough shooting night.

#2 Ebuka Okorie came into the game as one of the nation’s top scorers but was held to seven points — what credit do you give Notre Dame’s defense?

#3 Oskar Giltay led Stanford with 11 rebounds — can you talk about his presence on the boards and how he might build a better transition offense off those rebounds next time?

#4 The team struggled with shooting efficiency overall — what specific areas (shot selection, ball movement, or spacing) do you feel most need improvement before your next ACC game?

#5 After playing a tough defensive battle on the road, how does Stanford keep the team’s confidence up and reset for the next game, especially after a frustrating offensive performance like this?

Join Michael Roberson for the Stanford Cardinal podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Stanford Cardinal game wrap: Cardinal suffered Bad Luck (Play) versus the Fighting Irish, 47-40, on ACC Opening Night on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal forward Chisom Okpara (10) throws down on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish forward Carson Towt (33) at Maple Pavilion in Palo Alto on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (11-3, 0-1 ACC) allowed good fortune for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-4, 1-0 ACC) by losing to the visitors from the Midwest 47-40, on Opening Night of the 2025-26 Atlantic Coast Conference league play, inside the confines of Maples Pavilion.

Notre Dame opened the conference contest with a tip-in layup. However, the Cardinal followed that with an 8-0 run to go up by six…The Fighting Irish topped that with a 10-0 run of their own, to lead by four. They eventually extended the margin to six. The guests from South Bend settled for a five point advantage at recess, 22-17.

The shooting in all three aspects was poor, at best. Both squads shot a putrid 27% from the floor. Stanford was 27% from beyond the arc, and 50% from the charity stripe, within the initial 20-minute half. Notre Dame was awful from threeland (0%) and 67% from the free throw line.

Cardinal top scorer Ebuke Okorie was scoreless for nearly the first 14 minutes of the game. He finally scored on a layup at the 6:02 mark of the half. That was his only tally in the first half. Okorie was working on a 30+ points consecutive streak, which was in dire jeopardy. Two points at the half would have required a 28-point explosion. That seemed to be very unlikely at the midway point of the battle.

Neither team produced a double-digit scorer in the very low scoring half of regulation play.

The second half had the Fighting Irish scoring first, as they did in the first half, on a basket by senior forward Carson Towt. They later extended their lead to as much as 16 points midway through the final half. Although they reached that wide of a margin, Stanford was still battling the Fighting Irish.

The Cardinal indeed fought back enough to get into striking range, cutting the deficit to single digits down the stretch. They were as close as five points behind at just under three minutes left in the game. Unfortunately for the home team, that was as close as they got in the second half, thanks to a couple of dagger threes by sophomore forward Garrett Sundra.

After 40 minutes of abysmal shooting on both sides, the Hoosier State hoopers prevailed and held on to victory by seven points, 47-40. The game could also be viewed as a defensive struggle, but the average fan on either side would have preferred an offensive masterpiece.

Stanford presented one player with more than ten points. Chisom Okpara contributed 13 points, while the high scoring freshman sensation Ebuke Okorie managed to chip in seven points and six rebounds.

Notre Dame also had a lone player reach that standard plateau. the aforementioned Jalen Haralson put up 13 points too, while his teammate Carson Towt grabbed 10 rebounds and scored eight points

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, January 2, as they host the Louisville Cardinals at 5 PM PT on the ACC Network. The Fighting Irish head across the Bay to take on the California Golden Bears, on the same date at 8 PM PT on ESPN2.

Cal Bears game wrap: Bears welcomed to ACC play with brutal awakening in 90-70 loss to Louisville

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Louisville Cardinal guard Adrian Wooley (14) takes a shot against Cal Bears forward Chris Bell (22) in second half action at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Tue Dec 30, 2025 (AP News photo)

Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, California

Louisville Cardinals 90 (11-2 Overall; 1-0 ACC)

California Golden Bears 70 (10-2 Overall; 0-1 ACC)

By Stephen Ruderman

BERKELEY–The Bears were welcomed to ACC play with a brutal awakening, as they fought the good fight, but were ultimately pummeled by the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals 90-70.

The Bears got off to a 12-1 start, one of their best starts in a long time, as they dominated non-conference play. While many of the Bears’ 12 wins came against lesser known schools, they still had some wins against elite teams like UCLA. There has also been an excitement brewing around the Bears, who have not had a winning season in nine years.

As the Bears start playing the big teams on a regular basis, they would be met with the best of the best from the very getgo. Tonight, the 16th-ranked Louisville Cardinals came to Haas Pavilion for the beginning of ACC play.

Haas Pavilion wasn’t filled to capacity, but a fairly-large crowd showed up nevertheless. Many excited Bears’ fans showed up, but many Cardinals’ fans showed as well. Perhaps a lot of them made the long journey from Kentucky to the Bay Area, which is a worthy trip.

As for the game, the Bears won the opening tip, but knocked the ball out of bounds. That seemed to set the tone for how tonight’s game would go. The Cardinals made Cal pay for the fumbled tip, as Sanandra Fru made an alleyoop dunk.

That was just the start for Louisville, who jumped out to an early 10-lead. The Cardinals dominated the first half, and eventually got out to a 36-15 lead with 5:53 left.

The Bears then went on a 10-0 run to suddenly cut Louisville’s lead to 36-25. Adrian Woolet and J’Vonne Hadley responded with threes to make it 42-25, but the Bears kept going. Justin Pippen hit a three with 57 seconds remaining to make it 44-31 and get the crowd back into the game.

Chris Bell would also hit a three for Cal, but Fru and Wooley scored for Louisville, who went into halftime up 14 points at 48-34.

The Cardinals opened their lead up to 25 points at 73-48 with 8:26 remaining in the second half. However, Cal made one last push, as they scored 14 unanswered points in just under two minutes. Bell hit a three to cut it to 73-62 with 6:44 remaining.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals seized control right back, and won it 90-70.

Ryan Conwell led the way for the Cardinals with 26 points, and Adrian Wooley was not too far behind with 21. For Cal, Chris Bell and Justin Pippen were able to cut through Louisville’s defense, and scored 20 and 17 points respectively.

All you can say is that the Bears ran into a juggernaut tonight, as they dropped just their second game of the season. Unfortunately, they are 0-1 in ACC play, which is what ultimately counts the most.

The Bears will need to put this one behind them. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will come to Haas Pavilion Friday night.

Tipoff will be at 8 p.m.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Daniel Dullum: Cardinal preparing to host Big Game with Cal Saturday

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The Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Caden High (0) leaps for a catch against the UNC Tar Heels defensive lineman Will Hardy (31) at Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

On the Stanford Cardinal podcast with Daniel:

#1 How critical will Stanford quarterback Elijah Brown’s performance be for Stanford’s chances, given his experience and passing production so far this season?

#2 Running back Micah Ford has been a key contributor in Stanford’s ground game. How effectively can Cal defend him, and what would be the impact if Ford has a big game?

#3 Wide receiver CJ Williams has been Stanford’s top receiving target. In what ways could he exploit Cal’s secondary, and how might his presence influence the game plan?

#4 On defense, Matt Rose (ILB) has led Stanford in tackles. How important is his role in stopping Cal’s offense, particularly on third downs and in open-field situations?

#5 Which of Stanford’s other playmakers — for example, Tuna Altahir (RB) or Ben Gulbranson (backup QB) — could make a decisive impact, and under what game scenarios might they be most effective?

Daniel Dullum does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts Saturdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Big Game/Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips: Can Sagapolutele continue his 200 plus passing average against Stanford

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Cal quarterback Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele (3) makes a pass against the Louisville Cardinals at L&N Federal Credit Union in Louisville on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

Cal Bears podcast Morris Phillips:

#1 How will freshman quarterback Jaron‑Keawe Sagapolutele perform against Stanford’s pass rush, and can he continue his streak of 200-plus passing yards?

#2 Running back Kendrick Raphael has shown he can break 100 rushing yards in a game — how important will the run game be for Cal in this matchup?

#3 With linebacker Cade Uluave leading Cal’s defense, how well can the Bears contain Stanford’s offensive tempo and explosive plays?

#4 Who will step up among Cal’s receivers for Sagapolutele — can someone emerge beyond the expected targets to challenge Stanford’s secondary?

#5 Given Stanford’s home-field advantage and rivalry intensity, can Cal maintain composure in key moments and convert critical situations (third downs / turnovers) into game-changing plays?

Morris Phillips does the Cal Bears football podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Big Game/Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Can Brown get the drop on Cal’s defense at Stanford Sat Nov 22?

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) is hit from behind and forced a fumble by UNC Tar Heels linebacker Andrew Simpson (2) in the first half at Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Press Democrat photo)

Big Game/Stanford podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 With Elijah Brown now installed as Stanford’s starting quarterback, how will he manage the pressure of the rivalry game, and can he avoid mistakes while pushing the offense forward?

#2 How critical will the running back tandem featuring Tuna Altahir and Micah Ford be in establishing the ground game and controlling tempo against Cal’s front seven?

#3 On the receiving side, can CJ Williams step up as a reliable down-field threat for Stanford’s offense and exploit mismatches in Cal’s secondary?

#4 Defensively, with the departure of star pass rusher David Bailey, how will Stanford’s front seven adjust? Will emerging players fill the void and maintain pressure on Cal’s quarterback?

#5 Stanford has several young or less experienced players stepping into larger roles — how will that youth (especially at key positions) affect their execution in high-leverage situations (third down, red zone) against a rivalry opponent?

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Tar Heels hold off late Cardinal fall, win 20-15

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Stanford Cardinal quarterback Elijah Brown (2) is hit from behind and forced a fumble by UNC Tar Heels linebacker Andrew Simpson (2) in the first half at Chapel Hill NC on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum

North Carolina held off a late Stanford rally on Saturday and defeated the Cardinal 20-15 in Atlantic Coast Conference football at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Stanford (3-7 overall, 2-5 ACC) lost despite outgaining the Tar Heels 320 total yards to 253 and holding the edge in time of possession – 32:37 to 27:23.

The Tar Heels (4-5 overall, 2-3 ACC) opened the scoring at 5:49 of the first quarter with a Rece Verhoff 27-yard field goal. Stanford tied the game at 3-3 on the final play of the first half, an Emmet Kenney field goal from 38 yards out.

UNC broke the deadlock at 7:43 of the third quarter when, on first down at the Cardinal 20-yard line, Gio Lopez completed a touchdown pass to Davion Gause, giving the Tar Heels a 10-3 lead.

Verhoff hit a field goal from 48 yards out at 4:16 of the fourth quarter, and Lopez completed a 55-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Shipp, extending the Tar Heels lead to 20-3.

The Cardinal fought back, and with 8:28 remaining, Cole Tabb ran for a 1-yard touchdown, and with 1:48 to play, Elijah Brown, completed a 24-yard scoring pass to CJ Williams. The Cardinal failed to convert 2-point conversions.

Brown completed 27 of 39 passes for 284 yards, one touchdown. And was picked off once. He was also sacked nine times. Micah Ford was the Cardinal’s top rusher with 68 yards on 17 carries. Caden High caught 10 passes for 102 yards, and Williams and Sam Roush each made six receptions.

Lopez was 18 of 25 passing for 203 yards for UNC. He was sacked twice. As a team, the Tar Heels gained 50 yards on 27 attempts. Kobe Paysour caught six passes for 54 yards, and Shipp caught five for 83 yards and a touchdown.

The Cardinal have a bye week before hosting California in the 28th Big Game on Saturday, Nov. 22. Kickoff time has yet to be announced.

Cardinal put Grizzlies into hibernation 91-68, on Saturday Afternoon on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) brings the ball up the floor against the Montana Grizzlies at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto on Sat Nov 8, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (2-0) held back the Montana Grizzlies (2-1) 91-68, inside the friendly confines of Maples Pavilion.

Stanford got off to a great start, with a 9-0 run from the opening tip-off. Freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie was the catalyst for the home team’s initial burst. He performed a steal, then converted that into a fastbreak layup, putting the Cardinal up 2-0.

Okorie would add another steal and six more points to his early production before the midway break in action. Stanford led by nine almost immediately, but the Grizzlies did claw their way back into contention.

As a matter of fact, Montana had a 5-0 run of their own, and had a chance to take their only lead with a layup attempt. Unfortunately for the visiting bears, a 5-point turnaround occurred. As the Cardinal defense caused a turnover, they parlayed that into a dagger 3 by senior guard Jeremy Dent-Smith.

The Grizzlies continued to fight back, despite that early setback. Although Stanford led by as many as 11 points, Montana was able to reduce the deficit to single digits several times. When the recess bell rang, the Cardinal was ahead by 10 points, 35-25.

Neither squad had a player in double-figures. Although Okorie’s 8 points and 2 steals were impressive for the Cardinal. Two players from Montana also amassed 8 points. Senior guard Te’Jon Sawyer tallied 8 points and 5 rebounds, while teammate and junior guard Brooklyn Hicks also chipped in his eight for good measure.

Stanford came out in the second half with vigor and an attitude to completely take over the contest. Multiple players from both sides achieved the 10+ points benchmark.

The Cardinal opened up a lead as high as late in the second half, but the Grizzlies kept competing. Although the game was out of hand, Montana did show effort, as they performed a 7-0 run in the last minutes of the game. Their field goal percentage from 2 & 3 was improved in the second half.

Stanford’s numbers were also better in the second stanza. Especially from beyond the arc. Although both teams rebounded at the same clip, turnovers were the determining factors. The Cardinal forced 20 turnovers, while committing 5 of their own. They also generated 14 steals and 6 blocks against their opponent. The +/- numbers were like a Math problem: Stanford (+23) compared to Montana’s (-23) .

With all the number crunching, Stanford managed to win by 23 points, 91-68. They lead from wire to wire, and had only one moment when that could have changed to a different scenario.

Four players for the Cardinal reached double-digits scoring. Freshman Phenom Ebuka Okorie led everyone with 29 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Senior guard Benny Gealer put up 13 points, while redshirt-sophomore Aidan Camman and senior AJ Rohosy both contributed 12 points.

Montana also presented four players 10+ points. Money Williams led with 19 points and 7 rebounds, and the other three, Brooklyn Hicks (13), Te’Jon Sawyer (12) and Kenyon Aguino (12) did their part.

Stanford will next be in action Wednesday, November 12 at Maples, hosting the Montana State Bobcats at 7 PM PT on ACC Extra. Montana heads down to Sin City to take on UNLV Tuesday, November 11 at 7 PM PT.

Cal withstands late Wright State push for 77-67 home win

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Cal Bears guard Dai Dai Ames (7) drives past Wright State’s Kellen Pickett (4) at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley on Thu Nov 6, 2025 (Cal Bears photo)

By Ryan Hannagan

BERKELEY, Calif. — California (2-0) men’s basketball secured its second home victory of the season Wednesday night, defeating Wright State Raiders (1-1) 77–67 at Haas Pavilion. The Bears used an early second-half surge and steady free-throw shooting to fend off a late rally from the Raiders.

After a slow offensive start from both sides with Cal shooting 4-for-12 and Wright State 4-for-11 from the field early, the Bears built momentum behind second chance points and dominance at the free throw line. Cal finished the first half shooting 13 for 34 overall but made up ground by converting 13 free throws.

Wright State, meanwhile, struggled from the line, going just 4 for 8, but found more success from deep, connecting on four of 16 three-pointers to stay within reach. Neither team managed to create much separation through the opening 20 minutes, with Cal holding a slim 34–28 halftime advantage.

John Camden led the Bears with seven points at the break, while Wright State’s Michael Cooper matched that total to lead the Raiders.

Cal came out firing in the second half, pushing its lead to double digits with a 12 point margin midway through the half. The Bears played with rhythm and confidence, feeding off an energized Haas Pavilion crowd. Sophomore guard Dai Dai Ames took control down the stretch, finishing with a game high 23 points.

Despite trailing by as many as 16, Wright State refused to fold, closing the gap to four with under five minutes to play. But Cal’s composure and efficiency from the line sealed the victory — the Bears shot 26 for 31 (83.9%) from the stripe compared to Wright State’s 10 for 18 (55.6%).

“We talked about ball control and not being passive,” Cal head coach Mark Madsen told Sports Radio Service after the game. “Against any zone defense, if you drive the zone, something good is going to happen. We have a lot of new players still getting comfortable in their roles, but I thought Nolan Dorsey really set the tone defensively and lifted the whole team.”

Cal out rebounded Wright State 43–35 and outscored the Raiders 34–22 in the paint. The Bears also held advantages in fast-break points (12–4) and defensive rebounds (33–24).

Wright State’s Dominic Pagonis led the Raiders with 11 points off the bench.

With the win, Cal improves to 2–0 and looks to carry its momentum into the next contest against Cal State Fullerton as it continues non conference play.

Cardinal staved off Vikings’ attack 89-79, on a Tuesday (Election) Night on the Farm

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Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives the Portland State Vikings at Stanford University in Palo Alto on Tue Nov 4, 2025 (Stanford Cardinal photo)

By Michael Roberson

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Cardinal (1-0) opened up their 2025-26 Men’s Basketball season with a fortified blockade (Trees) against the Portland State Vikings (0-1), 89-79, inside Maples Pavilion.

Stanford scored the first points of the game, with a bucket by freshman guard Ebuka Okorie. However, both teams had significant runs in the first half.

The Vikings immediately went on an 8-0 run, putting them ahead by six, early in the contest. The Cardinal responded expeditiously with a 9-0 run of their own, putting themselves back on top. They also eventually led by six points.

As the first half progressed, Portland State continued to fight back, but could regain their last lead (8-7) during the first 20 minutes of play.. Although they did involve their squad in three first half ties with the home team.

By the time both combatants reached recess, Stanford had upped their lead to seven, 37-30. The Cardinal forced 13 turnovers on the Vikings, while they gave away six of their own.

Leading the way for Stanford was the aforementioned Okorie, with 16 points. No hooper from PSU eclipsed double-figures; however, their senior guard Jaylin Henderson was close with nine points at the half.

The second half started with another run. The Cardinal came out of the locker room on a mission. They scored seven straight points to begin stanza number two, while also doubling the lead from the first half. That was near their largest advantage (15) of the entire game in a matter of minutes..

Despite those significant leads by the Cardinal, the Vikings continued to grasp and close the double-digit margin before the final whistle. They chopped the lead into single digits several time, but could not get over the hump again, especially in the second half. Big shots by the Cardinal offense and their intense defense down the stretch sealed the contest in the closing minutes.

After the required 40 minutes elapsed, the Palo Alto Players bested the pillagers from the Beaver State by 10 points, 89-79.

Four baller scored over 10 points for the Cardinal, including the freshman sensation Ebuka Okorie, who led all scorers with 26 points and an impressive seven rebounds. Senior forward Chisom Okpara tallied 21 points, Sr. guard Jeremy Dent-Smith (14), and fellow senior guard Benny Gealer chipped in 12 points and garnered five steals.

PSU had three players reach that plateau. Junior guard Sebastian Tidor led the Vikings with 22 points and seven rebounds. Senior guard Jaylin Henderson dropped 19 points and senior forward Terri Miller Jr, contributed 14 points and four assists.

The Cardinal will next be in action Saturday, November 8, @ Maples, hosting the Montana Grizzlies at 7 PM PT on ACC Extra. Portland State heads back to Oregon to host NW Indian College, Friday, ,November 7, also at 7 PM PT, but on ESPN+.