Wells-Fargo Arena - Tempe, Arizona
Tip-off: Wednesday, 9:00 p.m. ET
Line: Arizona State -3.5

UCLA looks for sole possession of third place in the Pac-12 when it invades Tempe in its only meeting with the Sun Devils this season.

Left for dead after a 32-point loss at Utah on Jan. 4, UCLA’s postseason hopes seemed like a pipe dream. This was a team with a six-man rotation, decimated by NBA defections left with the coach’s overmatched son as their lead guard. A month later, UCLA is winners of five of its last six, including a 10-point revenge home win versus No. 10 Utah. In the last three weeks, home wins over Colorado (72-59), Oregon St. (75-59), Oregon (72-63) and a big road win at Stanford (69-67) have put the Bruins in position to take over sole possession of third place in the Pac-12 with a win in Tempe. While Arizona State doesn’t have the postseason hopes that UCLA still does, the Sun Devils are also enjoying somewhat of a renaissance with competitive games and a much more exciting brand of up-tempo basketball. While Arizona State is only 5-3 (4-3-1 ATS) in their last eight games, they’re averaging 74.6 PPG over that span – a far cry from the 52.8 PPG average during the Sun Devils’ 0-4 (0-3-1 ATS) start to conference play. The Sun Devils are fresh off their second road win of the season, a 78-68 win at Washington on Sunday. Arizona State has problems sustaining success, though, as they’re only 5-7 SU following a SU win and 2-7-1 ATS after covering the previous game. The Sun Devils are 3-2 at home this season, highlighted by beating arch-rival, No. 6 Arizona (81-78) on Feb. 7. Historically, UCLA is 16-4 (8-10-2 ATS) in the past 20 contests against Arizona State, and only 4-6 SU (7-2-1 ATS) when hosting the Bruins in Tempe since 2004. Arizona State is currently quite thin in the backcourt with injuries taking a toll. G Kodi Justice (4.6 PPG) is out for the season as of late January (foot). Sharp-shooting G Bo Barnes (6.9 PPG, 1.5 threes/gm, 40% 3PT; 11.9 PPG – last five games) went down with an ankle injury early in the Sun Devils’ loss to Washington State on Friday night and is considered questionable for Wednesday night versus the Bruins.

Can UCLA stay hot with a win at Arizona State Wednesday? 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 been heating up since Dec. 23, combining for a 57% ATS mark (115-87-3) in college basketball Best Bets. StatFox Gary is a strong 61% ATS (25-16) during this timeframe to improve to 61% ATS (43-28) for the season. StatFox Brian is 64% ATS (23-13-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 28 to put him at 57% ATS (40-30-1) this season, while StatFox Zach is on a 61% ATS (20-13) Best Bets run since Jan. 1 and has a 56% ATS mark (40-31) this season. StatFox Scott is a strong 58% ATS (23-17-1) in Best Bets since Dec. 23, and StatFox Dave is 6-1 ATS since Feb. 6.

UCLA’s recent surge has been highlighted by their newfound commitment to defense. In their last five games, the Bruins have only allowed opponents to shoot 38.8% from the field. The Bruins have held six of their last seven opponents under 65 points as well, this coming from a team that held only three of 13 non-conference opponents under the 65-point mark. Key to this change in style is an obvious re-evaluation of what the Bruins strengths were by Steve Alford. The Bruins are committed, now, to working from the inside out; playing through their bigs, F Kevon Looney (12.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG) and C Tony Parker (10.6 PPG, 7.3 RPG). While Parker’s numbers aren’t as gaudy as Looney’s, his presence on the court is imperative if the Bruins are to have success, as UCLA has won eight of the last nine games that Parker has played (the Bruins lost both games on their Oregon trip in January when Parker was hurt.) While it’s not a night-and-day difference, Parker has worked hard on his biggest issue (fouling) and has improved from 5.8 min/foul (2014) to 7.1 min/foul (2015) – allowing him to play roughly 25 minutes per game (up from 17.5 MPG in 2014). UCLA still gets production from its backcourt, as G Norman Powell (16 PPG, 4.8 RPG) and G Bryce Alford (15.4 PPG, 5.3 APG, 2.1 threes/game) still lead the Bruins in scoring. That said, Alford is starting to share more ball handling opportunities with emerging sophomore G Isaac Hamilton (10.2 PPG, 2.7 APG; 5.5 APG last four games). Hamilton’s added responsibility allows Alford to do what he does best – catch and shoot three’s (44% 3PT; 12-for-27 last four games). All of this has now opened the floor up for Powell to attack the rim, and he’s done this with aplomb (five of last seven games with 20+ points). Powell might also have a field day getting in the passing lane (2.0 SPG) against Arizona State’s sloppy guards. UCLA excels on the glass - as you’d imagine with Looney and Parker’s numbers – grabbing just shy of 40 boards per game (1st Pac-12, 11th NCAA). They’ve been especially dominant in their past three games with a +11 rebounding margin average (highlighted by a 38-24 beatdown of Oregon – who’s also solid on the glass).

After a disastrous conference-play start, Herb Sendek has loosened the reigns of his constricting motion offense and let the sheer athleticism of the roster take over - which has led to more scoring and more free throws (tied for Pac-12 lead, 20.9 fouls drawn/game), but more one-on-one basketball and turnovers (.39 assists per FG made over previous three games, 333rd NCAA; 14.3 TO/Gm – 303rd NCAA). Arizona State’s season-long offensive numbers now look quite respectable (70.5 PPG, 100th NCAA), thanks to the recent play of their starting five. The Sun Devils boast two explosive, slashing forwards: F Shaquielle McKissic (11.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG) and F Savon Goodman (10.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG) a transfer from UNLV. 6-foot-10 F Eric Jacobsen (9.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.2 BPG) is their only semblance of a rim-protector, as Arizona State isn’t a good matchup for UCLA’s size inside (2.1 BPG as a team, last in Pac 12; 320th NCAA). While Jacobsen is consistent, but won’t ever explode on the offensive end, unfortunately McKissic and Goodman are wildly unpredictable. Goodman is coming off his first in-conference double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds against Washington on Sunday). What’s turned the Sun Devils into an exciting basketball team again, though, has been the recent play of its backcourt – G Gerry Blakes (11.4 PPG) and G Tra Holder (6.5 PPG, 3.2 APG). With Blakes and Holder, due to their inexperience (Blakes is a JuCo transfer, Holder is a true freshman) Coach Sendek has to take the good with the bad. Blakes is a ball-stopper and a turnover machine (28% usage rate – 3rd Pac-12; 0.7 A-TO ratio – worst among Pac-12 qualified guards), but when he’s good, the lefty can carry an offense (47 points over his past two games). The diminutive Holder has been the biggest lynchpin in the offensive revival in Tempe (10.7 PPG, 4.6 APG in last 8 games – all starts), as he’d been relegated to a little-used reserve until halfway through the conference season. Holder, however, also is tied for 5th in the Pac-12 (in conference play) with 2.7 TO/game with none other than teammate, Blakes.