Stanford Crushes Clemson in Regular Season Finale

Victory boosts Cardinal's NCAA tournament hopes

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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In its final regular-season game, Stanford delivered a dominant performance, defeating Clemson 82-65 on Sunday. Preseason all-ACC forward Nunu Agara led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman Hailee Swain added a career-high 20 points and 5 rebounds. The victory provides hope that Stanford can return to the NCAA tournament after missing out last year.

Why it matters

Stanford's impressive win over Clemson comes at a crucial time, as the Cardinal look to secure an NCAA tournament berth after failing to make the field last year. The team's strong showing against a quality opponent should boost their resume and chances of being selected for the Big Dance.

The details

Stanford came out with a tremendous sense of urgency, as head coach Jerod Haase noted, and thoroughly outplayed Clemson throughout the game. The Cardinal shot 52% from the field and held the Tigers to just 40% shooting. In addition to Agara and Swain's big games, junior guard Jayden Delaire chipped in 15 points and 7 assists.

  • Stanford played Clemson on Sunday, March 2, 2026 to close out the regular season.

The players

Nunu Agara

Preseason all-ACC forward for Stanford who had 24 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Clemson.

Hailee Swain

Freshman for Stanford who scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in the victory.

Jayden Delaire

Junior guard for Stanford who contributed 15 points and 7 assists in the game.

Jerod Haase

Head coach of the Stanford men's basketball team.

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What they’re saying

“Our team focused and worked really hard to prepare for this game and came out with a tremendous sense of urgency,”

— Jerod Haase, Head Coach (East Bay Times)

What’s next

Stanford will now await its NCAA tournament fate, with Selection Sunday coming up in the next two weeks.

The takeaway

Stanford's dominant win over Clemson to close the regular season provides a major boost to their NCAA tournament hopes, as the Cardinal look to return to the Big Dance after missing out last year. The team's strong all-around performance suggests they are peaking at the right time.