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The Stanford Cardinal (11-14) visit the No. 4 UCLA Bruins (21-4) on Thursday night! Action tips off at 11:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a Stanford-UCLA prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Stanford is coming off a huge upset over No. 8 Arizona but still sits at 5-9 and in 10th place in the Pac-12. The Cardinal covered 48% of their games while 52% went over the projected point total. UCLA has won four straight games and sits at 12-2 and in first place in the Pac-12. The Bruins covered 60% of their games while 56% went under. This will be the second meeting of the season between the conference foes. UCLA covered and won easily on the road earlier this season with a score of 80-66.
Here are the Stanford-UCLA college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Stanford-UCLA Odds
Stanford: +13.5 (-110)
UCLA: -13.5 (-110)
Over: 129.5 (-110)
Under: 129.5 (-110)
How To Watch Stanford vs. UCLA
TV: ESPN2
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 11:00 p.m. ET/ 8:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Stanford Could Cover The Spread
Stanford has struggled all season long as the Cardinal went 6-5 in non-conference play prior to their Pac-12 woes. The Cardinal did pick up notable wins over Florida State and Loyola Chicago, but they also lost to a number of strong teams including No. 21 San Diego State, No. 6 Texas, and Memphis. That being said, they've gone 5-2 in the Pac-12 following their 0-7 start. Despite their recent success, Stanford does not fare well within the advanced ratings. The Cardinal come in at No. 98 in KenPom and No. 106 in NET. In addition to a poor 3-12 record in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games, they have two losses in Quad 3 and Quad 4. Because of that, Stanford does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Offensively, Stanford struggles to score but they do have an affinity for the three-ball. The Cardinal rank third in the Pac-12 in threes as they average 7.7 threes per game. They are a strong rebounding team, ranking fourth in the conference in total rebound rate and second in offensive rebound rate. Defensively, Stanford doesn't force many turnovers but they do a good job defending without fouling.
Stanford doesn't have a ton of options on the offensive end as they roster just one player who averages over 10 points per game. Senior forward Spencer Jones leads the team in scoring with 13.7 PPG. He is a lethal three-point shooter who averages 2.1 made threes per game while shooting 38% from deep. Jones has already found success against the Bruin stout defense as he nailed three threes en route to 18 points back in December.
The X-factor for Stanford is guard Michael O'Connell. The junior averages just 5.3 PPG but is coming off a season-high 22 points in their upset over Arizona. Although that was just his fourth double-digit scoring performance of the season, he could very well carry that success into tonight's game.
Why UCLA Could Cover The Spread
UCLA has been a juggernaut all season as they rode a 9-2 record into Pac-12 play. They picked up notable wins over Maryland and Kentucky and lost close battles to Illinois and No. 9 Baylor. In conference play, the Bruins won their first eight games and aside from a brief two-game skid in January, they've otherwise been dominant. With that, UCLA fares very well within the advanced rankings. The Bruins slot in at No. 3 UCLA and No. 5 in NET. While they've gone just 4-4 in Quad 1 games, they've gone 17-0 in Quads 2-4. As a result, UCLA currently projects as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
UCLA boasts an elite defense as the Bruins allowed the sixth-fewest points per game with 59.8 PPG. The Bruins do a great job defending without fouling but still forcing turnovers. UCLA forces a turnover on 22% of opponents' possession – the third-highest mark in the country. On the offensive end, UCLA loves to move the ball and generate easy looks. The Bruins are known for their fast starts as they rank 37th in first-half scoring.
UCLA is led by wing Jaime Jaquez Jr. The senior ranks fourth in the conference in scoring with 16.3 PPG. He is a strong rebounder as well, coming in at fourth in the Pac-12 with 8.0 RPG. He was the star of the show in their earlier win over Stanford when he scored 27 points on 71% shooting. With double-doubles in three of his last four games, expect Jaquez to make his mark early and often tonight.
Final Stanford-UCLA Prediction & Pick
UCLA made short work of Stanford in their previous meeting, winning by 14. They now find themselves as 13.5-point favorites tonight and should again dominate the Cardinal at home.
Final Stanford-UCLA Prediction & Pick: UCLA -13.5 (-110)
