Stanford jumps to 19-point lead, holds on to beat Merrimack 74-68

STANFORD, Calif. -- — Oziyah Sellers scored 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Maxime Raynaud had his ninth double-double this season — most in Division I — and Stanford blew most of a 19-point first-half lead before the Cardinal beat Merrimack 74-68 Tuesday night.

Raynaud finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds and Jaylen Blakes also scored 16 points for Stanford (9-2). Blakes was 5-of-7 shooting, 4 of 4 from 3-point range, with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Sellers and Ryan Agarwal, who had 11 points, each made three of the Cardinal's 11 3-pointers.

Adam “Budd” Clark made 14 of 21 from the field and led Merrimack (5-6) with career-high 32 points. Matt Becht hit three 3-pointers and scored 12 points.

Blakes hit a 3-pointer to give Stanford (9-2) the lead for good and spark a 26-7 run that made it 31-12 when Sellers made a 3 with 7:19 left in the first half. The Warriors scored 10 of the final 12 — including a jumper at the buzzer by Clark — to cut its deficit 39-30.

Becht made a 3-pointer 10 seconds into the second half and Clark followed with a layup to make it a four-point game with 19:12 remaining but Merrimack got no closer. Sellers stole a pass and went the other way for a layup about a minute later and then Blakes stole the ball and fed Sellers for dunk to give the Cardinal a 43-35 lead with 17:44 to go.

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