CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Stanford was no match for Louisville within the regular-season finale. 5 days later, the Cardinal proved a a lot more durable out.
Chucky Hepburn’s second-chance jumper on the buzzer lifted second-seeded Louisville to an exciting 75-73 within the ACC match quarterfinals, sending Stanford residence after two weeks on the highway.
Oziyah Sellers scored 22 factors and Maxime Raynaud had 17 regardless of fouling out after taking part in simply 23 minutes.
Louisville’s Terrence Edwards Jr. missed a step-back with 3 seconds to go. The ball caromed to Stanford’s Chisom Opakra, as coach Kyle Smith appeared to sign for a timeout. However Hepburn knocked the ball free, corralled it and ship it by means of the ring as the ultimate horn sounded.
The 2 groups met within the regular-season finale on March 8, with the Cardinals drubbing the Cardinal 68-48. That was a part of this two-week highway journey for Stanford, elongated journey that will have lastly caught up with the staff late within the recreation Thursday.
The primary quarterfinal of the night session, pitting Stanford and Louisville towards one another, was a matchup of two first-year coaches who led spectacular enhancements this season.
At Louisville, Pat Kelsey took over a program that went 12-52 the earlier two seasons, profitable simply 5 ACC video games. Utilizing the switch portal, he quickly rebuilt the staff, capturing the No. 2 seed on this week’s match and incomes convention coach of the yr honors.
At Stanford, Kyle Smith took a squad picked to complete seventeenth out of 18 groups within the ACC and led it to inside a second of a twentieth win and a spot within the match semifinals.
This week’s match was billed because the final probability for North Carolina, Wake Forest and presumably SMU to make their circumstances for at-large NCAA Match bids. However after beating rival Cal on Wednesday, Stanford positioned itself to enter the bubble chat – however it couldn’t end off the Cardinals.
Louisville guard Chucky Hepburn scores the sport profitable basket between Stanford ahead Chisom Okpara and guard Benny Gealer through the second half of an NCAA school basketball recreation within the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Convention match, Thursday, March 13, 2025, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photograph/Chris Carlson)
Louisville jumped out to a 6-0 lead on back-to-back 3-pointers by Noah Waterman, whereas Stanford struggled to hit photographs early on. The Cardinal linked on simply considered one of their first seven makes an attempt.
However Stanford settled in, scoring the following 9 factors to take the lead.
Offense was a chore for a lot of the primary half and the sport was tied 11-11 with 9:30 earlier than the break.
Raynaud, who had 17 factors and 11 rebounds within the earlier assembly, received off to a sluggish begin, hitting simply two of his first eight photographs.
On the opposite finish, Louisville star Chucky Hepburn didn’t hit his first area aim till pulling down a jumper with 3:06 left within the half.
The groups have been nonetheless tied, 30-30, with 35.1 to go till halftime.
Out of a timeout, Ryan Agarwal drove alongside the baseline after which slung a move to the far nook, the place Chisom Okpara was ready to catch-and-can a 3-pointer that despatched Stanford to the locker room forward 33-30.
Raynaud was whistled for his third foul 2:22 into the second half, a name that angered the Frenchman and appeared to befuddle his coach.
However even sitting its star didn’t decelerate Stanford, which ripped off an 11-0 run with Raynaud on the bench to open up a 52-37 lead with 14:32.
Raynaud checked again in with 14:16 to go however was whistled for his fourth foul lower than a minute later, sending him again to a seated place on the sideline.
Louisville ate away that 15-point deficit by driving to the rim and scoring in transition, utilizing a 12-0 run to trim Stanford’s result in 57-56 with 9 to play.
Raynaud had an opportunity to cease the run at 9-0 however missed a pair of free throws. He lastly ended it with a 3-pointer that gave the Cardinal slightly – little or no – respiratory room, up 60-56 with 8:35 left.
It took Louisville a couple of minute to erase that, tying the sport 60-60 on a thunderous put-back dunk by James Scott.
After Hepburn’s late 3 helped Louisville construct a five-point lead, Raynaud fouled out, setting a shifting display with 2:57 to go.
The sport was tied with 4 minutes left, however Hepburn’s 3-pointer with 3:38 to go began an eight-point run that put Louisville up 73-65 contained in the two-minute mark.
Stanford fought again once more, tying it up 73-73 with 32.5 seconds to go on Okpara’s 3-point play, setting the stage for the dramatic end.
