Duke Blue Devils vs Stanford Cardinal Picks and Predictions February 15th 2025

Out to Be a Quick Study, No. 3 Duke Faces ACC Newcomer Stanford

Third-ranked Duke looks to maintain its grip atop the ACC standings as it hosts Stanford on Saturday in Durham, N.C.

Freshman center Khaman Maluach is expected to take on a bigger role for the Blue Devils, and coach Jon Scheyer has a clear plan to maximize his production.

“You have to look for him the way he runs in transition,” Scheyer said. “Pick-and-rolls, you have to look for him.”

Maluach finished with 10 points in Wednesday’s 78-57 bounce-back win over Cal, marking his first double-digit outing in seven games. The 7-foot-2 big man even knocked down his second career 3-pointer in the first half, showing flashes of confidence.

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“As a shooter, you expect every shot to go in,” Maluach said.

Blue Devils Ready to Bounce Back

Duke’s 16-game winning streak was snapped last weekend in a 77-71 loss to Clemson, but the Blue Devils responded with a dominant defensive performance against Cal.

Freshman phenom Cooper Flagg led the way with 27 points, and Duke continued to showcase its elite defense, which leads the ACC at 60.4 points allowed per game.

“We came back to our defense. Be us and play hard on defense, get stops and rebounds,” Maluach said.

Still, Scheyer knows the team needs to stay focused.

“It was a good response,” he said. “It wasn’t the prettiest game we ever played.”

Can Stanford Keep Up?

While Duke seems to be regaining form, Stanford (16-9, 8-6 ACC) is heading in the opposite direction. The Cardinal have lost three of their last four after a 60-52 defeat at Georgia Tech on Wednesday.

Maxime Raynaud, Stanford’s leading scorer at 20.4 points per game, was held to just eight points in that loss.

“We weren’t up to the challenge,” coach Kyle Smith admitted. “Probably (Raynaud’s) roughest, toughest outing for us. I hope that’s a one-time thing. He’s a good player. He’ll bounce back.”

One bright spot for the Cardinal was Jaylen Blakes, a former Duke player, who led Stanford with 12 points in his return from injury. Blakes spent three seasons with the Blue Devils before transferring, and he could play a key role against his former team.

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“It’s neat to see these arenas,” Smith said of Stanford’s first ACC season. “The next one will be a tough one.”

Duke’s Defense Poses a Major Challenge

Stanford’s season-low scoring output against Georgia Tech doesn’t bode well heading into a matchup with Duke’s elite defense.

The Blue Devils allow just 60.4 PPG and held Cal to 57 points on Wednesday. If Raynaud and Stanford’s offense can’t find answers, it could be a long night for the Cardinal in one of college basketball’s toughest environments.