Stanford stuns No. 14 North Carolina as Ebuka Okorie leads dramatic ACC comeback win

Stanford, Calif — Freshman guard Ebuka Okorie delivered a breakout performance Wednesday night, scoring 36 points with 9 assists as Stanford erased a 12 point second half deficit to defeat No. 14 North Carolina 95 to 90 in a statement Atlantic Coast Conference victory.

The win marked Stanford’s second consecutive season defeating North Carolina as ACC opponents and continued a rapid program turnaround under head coach Kyle Smith. Stanford improved to 14 and 4 overall and 3 and 2 in conference play, while the Tar Heels fell to 14 and 3 and 2 and 2 in the ACC.

Okorie was the central force throughout the night, controlling tempo and answering every North Carolina run. The freshman out performed  fellow first year standout Caleb Wilson and finished with the highest scoring output by a Stanford freshman in ACC play this season. His performance also represented a breaking update in Stanford’s backcourt outlook as the Cardinal adjust without second leading scorer Chisom Okpara, who remains sidelined with a lower body injury.

North Carolina built early separation behind Henri Veesaar, who scored efficiently in the opening minutes to help the Tar Heels take a 12 point first half lead. Okorie responded with aggressive downhill attacks and timely playmaking, scoring 17 points and recording 5 assists before halftime to pull Stanford within 47 to 45 at the break.

The Tar Heels opened the second half with an 8 to 0 run and restored their 12 point cushion, appearing in control. Stanford answered with improved defensive pressure and perimeter shooting, steadily cutting into the margin as Okorie continued to create mismatches off the dribble.

Jeremy Dent Smith and Ryan Agarwal delivered the decisive stretch. Dent Smith knocked down a go ahead three pointer with 1 minute and 4 seconds remaining, his sixth made three of the game, to give Stanford an 88 to 87 lead. After Wilson turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, Agarwal drilled another three with 32 seconds left, extending the lead to 4 and swinging the late game momentum fully to the Cardinal.

Dent Smith and Agarwal each finished with 20 points, combining with Okorie to account for 76 of Stanford’s 95 points. Stanford shot efficiently down the stretch and executed cleanly late, a notable development for a team still integrating new conference demands in its first ACC season.

Wilson and Veesaar each scored 26 points for North Carolina, but the Tar Heels struggled to maintain offensive rhythm late as Stanford forced turnovers and limited clean looks in the final possessions. Wilson’s turnover following Dent Smith’s three proved costly in a game decided by execution in the final minute.

From a season impact perspective, the win strengthens Stanford’s NCAA Tournament profile and gives the Cardinal two ranked wins this month, matching their highest total of ranked victories in a season since 2013 to 14, the last year Stanford reached the tournament. It also reinforces the immediate impact of Smith’s system and the emergence of Okorie as a potential conference level centerpiece.

For North Carolina, the loss highlights ongoing roster adjustment challenges and places added emphasis on ball security and late game execution as ACC play intensifies. The Tar Heels remain firmly in contention but now face increased pressure in a tightly packed conference standings race.

Next steps come quickly. North Carolina travels to California on Saturday looking to rebound and stabilize its conference position.

Stanford remains home to host Duke in another high profile ACC matchup that will further define the Cardinal’s league outlook and postseason trajectory.