By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
The Cardinal and Bears have had their share of struggles on the road in their debut ACC seasons, but a couple of wins today would go a long way in easing the pain.
Stanford looks to shock Duke in Durham while Cal tries its luck against Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
Here’s an update on both teams for Week 15.
Cardinal Hope to Snap Duke’s 14-Game Home Win Streak
Last week we talked about Stanford’s need for a clean week to bolster their NCAA hopes: Two winnable games against lowly NC State and at Georgia Tech.
Well, the victory at home over the Wolfpack was hardly a walk in the park as the Cardinal squeaked out a one-point win over NC State. But, by one or 21, a win is still a win and better than a loss.
The trip to Atlanta on Wednesday night did not go as planned for Stanford as the Ramblin Wreck of Georgia Tech certainly derailed things for Stanford.
The offense struggled mightily against Tech shooting just 30% from the floor and scoring only 52 points including a dismal 20-point first half.
It was not all doom and gloom in Atlanta this week, though. The Cardinal held the Yellow Jackets to just 60 points and allowed a season-low 25 in the second half.
Stanford got Jaylen Blakes back after the senior transfer missed the last three games with an injury.
Now he will return to his old stomping grounds as they have an opportunity to get a huge road win against Duke.
The Blue Devils are unbeaten at home this season and their 14 consecutive wins inside the Cameron Indoor Arena stands as the sixth-longest active home win streak in the nation.
No question about it, if Stanford is to leave Durham with a win, Maxime Raynaud will need a big game.
His 20 double-doubles this season lead the nation and are tied with Adam Keefe in the 1991-92 season for the most in a single season in Stanford history.
The Cardinal could use him to break that record today.
All is certainly not lost for Stanford. They still sit sixth in the ACC standings and have a few opportunities remaining for some resume-solidifying wins, but none bigger than the one in front of them this afternoon.
Bears Must Shoot Better to Earn Their Second ACC Road Win
Cal was the most recent of those 14 straight homecourt wins for Duke. The Bears 19-point loss in Durham on Wednesday was the second in a row for Cal.
The Golden Bears are now just 2-8 this season in games played away from Haas Pavilion and 1-5 in ACC games on the road.
This weekend brings a visit to Georgia Tech to conclude the road trip.
The Yellow Jackets have proven tough to beat at McCamish Pavilion as they are 5-2 at home in ACC play. Georgia Tech is just one game ahead of Cal in the conference standings but does enter riding a three-game winning streak.
During that streak, Georgia Tech has limited opponents to just 38.2% from the floor, significantly better than the 42.0% they have allowed in all games this season.
Cal has not shot the ball well all season ranking 297th in the nation shooting 41.9%, but in their last three, the Bears have been even worse dipping to 37.9% from the floor.
If Cal is to leave Atlanta with a win, they will need to be much more efficient on the offensive end of the floor.
For both Bay Area squads, the Saturday game will be their only one in the next week as they each have a mid-week bye ahead of renewing their rivalry inside Maples Pavilion next weekend.
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).