UCLA vs Stanford Picks and Odds

• UCLA (12-2, 8-0 Pac-12) brings a seven-game winning streak into a Pac-12 road game against Stanford (8-5, 4-3) on Saturday
• The Bruins have won their first eight Pac-12 games for the first time in 38 seasons, since 1982-83
• Read below for updated odds and a preview of the game

No. 24 UCLA has only lost once since falling at San Diego State on opening night, that a 77-70 defeat to No. 15 Ohio State in semi-neutral Cleveland, Ohio. The Bruins and Stanford will meet at 5 pm ET at the Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz, California. Stanford is playing home games there this season because of coronavirus restrictions in place in Santa Clara County.

The Bruins have won their last five games despite the loss of top forward Chris Smith. Smith suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a 72-70 home victory over Utah on New Year’s Eve and has been ruled out for the season. Smith was averaging 12.6 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds.

Stanford has not played in a week because its scheduled Thursday game against USC was postponed because of Covid-19 issues in the Trojans’ program. The game has not been rescheduled.

UCLA vs Stanford Picks and Odds

Odds from FanDuel Jan. 22. 

UCLA Features One of Most Balanced Attacks in the Country

Six UCLA players are averaging at least 10.4 points a game and five players averaging at least 5.3 rebounds, including Smith. Sophomore small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. leads the Bruins  at 13.2 points a game and is fourth with 5.8 rebounds. Jaquez has improved his three-point field goal accuracy this season from 31.2 percent to 45.2, making 19 of 42 this season.

Point Tyger Campbell is averaging 11.9 points and 6.4 assists per game, second in assists to Georgia’s Sahvir Wheeler (7.6) among Power 6 players. Sophomore guard Johnny Juzang, a transfer from Kentucky, has averaged 11.2 points a game after the starting  lineup was redone following Smith’s loss. Juzang, who played 28 games for Kentucky as a true freshman last season,  missed the first four games with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Looking back at last night's win at California … let's run back some highlights.#GoBruins 🏀🎥💥 pic.twitter.com/JxnMvDAwRs

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) January 22, 2021

The 1-2 combination of centers of starter Cody Riley and reserve Jalen Hill have combined to average 18 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 58.5 percent from the field. The Bruins are shooting 48.6 from the field and 44.6 from three-point range.

The Numbers Game

UCLA has won 11 of the last 16 and 20 of the last 28, including both meetings in the Pac-12 tournament during that span, although Stanford has won four of the last five at home. This game won’t have the usual home trappings, however, inasmuch as 2,500-seat Kaiser Permanente Arena is 43 miles south of the Stanford campus.

The Bruins are 19-3 in their last 22 Pac-12 games, 14-7-1 against the spread, after the players made a full buy-in to first-year coach Mick Cronin’s system midway through 2019-20. UCLA is 4-4 against the spread in league games this season. Cronin is 20-6 in the Pac-12.

UCLA is 28th in the KenPom rankings adjusted efficiency margin, and ninth in adjusted offense, a measure of points scored per possession when adjusted for opponents. The Bruins play a deliberate game — their KenPom average of 64.9 adjusted possessions per game is 332nd among 357 NCAA Division I teams.

Stanford is 12th in KenPom’s adjusted defense efficiency rankings, ahead of Gonzaga and Kansas, and are holding opponents to a 39.1 field goal percentage. Stanford had won four games in a row before losses at Utah and Colorado last week.

Our focus remains the same.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/7NVEIaI9Kg

— Stanford Men's Basketball (@StanfordMBB) January 17, 2021

Stanford’s Oscar Da Silva Provides Muscle in the Paint

Pac-12 player of the year contender Oscar Da Silva, is averaging 19.3 points and 7.3 rebounds a game. He’s had double-doubles in four of the last five games. He currently leads the Pac-12 in scoring.

The Cardinal have played through recent injury issues. Starting guard Bryce Wills, who’s averaging 9.3 points a game, has missed the last four games because of an undisclosed injury. His status for the UCLA game unknown. Guard Daejon Davis (13.1 points) has 23 points in the last two games, 19 against Utah, after missing the previous five games because of a leg injury. He came off the bench against Colorado.

Since-departed guard Tyrell Terry scored a career-high 24 points when Stanford beat UCLA 74-69 last season, the Cardinal’s first victory in Pauley Pavilion since 2004-05.

Pick: Stanford (+5.5)