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UCLA tries to end losing skid Thursday vs. Stanford
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Published: 1/8/2015  at  4:23:00 AM
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STANFORD CARDINAL (10-3)

at UCLA BRUINS (8-7)

Pauley Pavilion - Los Angeles, CA
Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Stanford -1.5, Total: 134.5

Stanford looks to move to 3-0 in Pac-12 play on Thursday when it travels to Pauley Pavilion to take on UCLA.

Stanford (7-5 ATS) is coming off a great season that ended in the Sweet 16, and the club is also off to a great start this season, which includes non-conference victories at Texas and versus UNLV on a neutral court. The Cardinal enter Thursday with four straight SU wins and a five-game ATS unbeaten streak (4-0-1 ATS). They have committed only 9.1 turnovers per game in the past seven contests, and are 17-8 ATS (68%) in the past two seasons when turning the ball over fewer than 15 times in three straight games. UCLA (4-11 ATS) has played a brutal schedule, but is 0-9 ATS versus teams with winning records, getting outscored in those games by an average of 11.5 PPG. The Bruins had big expectations at the start of the season, but they are currently riding a skid of five straight losses SU and are 1-10 ATS in the past 11 contests. Of the team’s seven defeats this season, five of them have been by double digits, and in the past four contests, UCLA has averaged a miserable 47.3 PPG on 29% FG. Last season, these conference foes split the regular-season series, with the Bruins also winning the matchup in the Pac-12 Tournament by 25 points. For UCLA, the defense will be a key, as the team is 13-5 ATS when holding opponents to 40 to 46% FG in the past two seasons. There are no new injuries for either team since Stanford PF Reid Travis (7.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG), the team's top rebounder, suffered a stress fracture at the start of the month and remains out indefinitely.

Can UCLA end its long losing skid on Thursday night? For the latest college basketball picks, check out The Platinum Sheet for all the StatFox Experts selections every week throughout the entire 2013-14 season. The experts have caught fire since Dec. 23, combining for a 60% ATS mark (38-25) in college basketball Best Bets. StatFox Gary is 10-3 ATS during this timeframe to improve to 65% ATS (28-15) for the season. StatFox Brian is 7-2 ATS in Best Bets since Dec. 28 to improve to 56% ATS (24-19) this season, while StatFox Scott is on a 9-4 ATS Best Bets run since Dec. 23.

The Cardinal enter this game ranked 77th in the nation in scoring (72.5 PPG), 87th in rebounding (37.2 RPG), 139th in shooting (44.3% FG) and 162nd in passing (13.1 APG). Defensively the team holds opponents to 61.7 PPG on 40.3% shooting. Stanford has one of the best scorers in the Pac-12 in SG Chasson Randle (18.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.7 APG). While he has struggled from long range (34% threes), Randle is relentless when attacking the rim, and is terrific from the foul line (93% FT). Although he averaged 17.0 PPG in three meetings with the Bruins last season, he made just 3-of-16 shots in the loss at Pauley Pavilion. With Randle scoring so well from the perimeter, Stanford has players that can score down low in C Stefan Nastic (14.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG) and SF Anthony Brown (14.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.8 APG). One of the biggest strengths of this team is its ability to protect the basketball, as the Cardinal rank 12th in the country in fewest turnovers (10.3 TPG). Stanford also shoots the ball well from long range at 37.7% threes, led by Brown who knocks down 45% of his shots. Brown averaged 15.0 PPG in the two regular-season meetings with UCLA last season, but had only two points (1-of-7) with four turnovers in the conference tournament.

The Bruins have had a lot of struggles this season, but they have been very good on the glass, ranking 15th in total rebounds (40.8 RPG). UCLA also ranks 92nd in scoring (71.9 PPG), 96th in assists (14.1 APG) and a horrendous 270th in shooting (41.4% FG). The club has also faltered defensively in allowing 70.2 PPG (274th in nation) despite a solid shooting defense of 40.8% FG. The Bruins are led by PG Bryce Alford (15.7 PPG, 5.9 APG, 1.2 SPG), who has the ball in his hands a majority of the time, but he is making only 38% FG and 32% threes. SG Norman Powell (15.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 39 % threes) and PF Kevon Looney (12.0 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG) are two more players who are capable of having a big game for the Bruins. Looney, a freshman, is one of the more skilled players in college basketball, but he has been inconsistent this season. UCLA has really struggled shooting the ball from deep this season (33.7% threes), but has done a nice job of grabbing 13.6 offensive rebounds per game. For the Bruins to win on Thursday, they will have to win the battle on the glass.


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