The No. 21 UCLA Bruins (5-2, 0-0 Pac-12) and Stanford Cardinal (3-4, 0-0) open Pac-12 play on Thursday. Opening tip at Maples Pavilion will be at 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UCLA vs. Stanford odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
UCLA was a 23-point favorite in its most recent game, an 81-60 win over Bellarmine on Sunday. The Bruins shot a season-high 60.8% in the home-court triumph. Thursday’s contest in northern California marks the 1st true road game of the season for last year’s Pac-12 runner-up (15-5).
Stanford also played on Sunday. The underdog (+6) Cardinal lost 56-48 to Memphis in the 5th-place game of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla. Stanford — 8-12, placing 8th in the league a year ago — shot just 37.4% in that tournament, winning 1 game and losing 2.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
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UCLA at Stanford odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:22 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Off the board
- Against the spread (ATS): UCLA -6.5 (-105) | Stanford +6.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 136.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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UCLA at Stanford picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 71, Stanford 62
Moneyline
Not available.
Against the spread
UCLA swept the season series between last season, including a 79-70 victory at Maples Pavilion. The Bruins are 6-3 ATS in the last 9 meetings. Stanford is 0-4 ATS in its last 4 games against winning teams.
Stanford’s defense is solid, but the Cardinal will not be able to match the Bruins offensively. UCLA is shooting 39.1% from distance; SU has been just average in defending the perimeter.
Look for some transition buckets to fuel a 2 or 3 significant UCLA runs, and that will get the final margin closer to 4-score territory. TAKE THE BRUINS -6.5 (-105).
Over/Under
O/U trends swing both ways. In a mid-pace game that does not figure to be loaded with free throws, there is an Under lean. But a healthy respect for the UCLA offense has that lean in check unless the total climbed to 138 or so.
AVOID.
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