Two Pac-12 conference foes currently in the middle of the pack will square off tonight at Pauley Pavilion. Stanford has won three in a row since beginning their conference slate with an 0-2 mark while the Bruins of UCLA have looked largely impressive in the last two months prior to dropping tough game last Saturday in Utah.
These are two up tempo groups who prefer to push the ball. Neither has great point guard play, but their offenses work well enough for differing reasons. For Stanford, Dwight Powell and Stefan Nastic are big and powerfully built forwards who can dominate the glass.
While UCLA doesn’t have what I would call bangers inside, they are quite talented as well. Kyle Anderson is a nightmare for the opposition to deal with while the Wear twins have shooting ability that will force the Stanford bigs to step out over and over again.
The biggest challenge for Stanford in winning this game comes down to their ability to neutralize the opposition in those match-ups. They are a good defensive ball club, but they have faced little in the way of talent like what UCLA has, and stylistically speaking, this could be a struggle for them.
UCLA also has some quality pieces in their backcourt. Starters Jordan Adams and Normal Powell are bigger and athletic guards who could pose issues for Stanford. Chasson Randle is having a great year for the Cardinal, and Anthony Brown is a player who has really come on in recent weeks as well.
But the bench situation is what could really set UCLA apart here. Aaron Bright being out the remainder of the year restricts the bench productivity they would otherwise typically get. UCLA counters with two young but valuable players in Zach LaVine and Bryce Alford. The pair of freshman have been consistently and assertive thus far this season, and they could play a big role here as well.
Keep an eye on Stanford forward Josh Huestis. The 6’7 senior is a physical force and menace on the board. He could be likely paired with the aforementioned Anderson often tonight, and his ability to both defend the 6’9 freak and make him work on the defensive boards could neutralize the bench productivity differential I’d expect to see from these two clubs.
I had this game at UCLA -7.5. The current 5.5 spread offers a discount for the Bruins, and they have bounced back well following each and every loss they have had on this season. This game is an opportunity for UCLA to build some momentum heading into a critical stretch which includes dates with Cal, Oregon and Oregon State.
UCLA -5.5
