Oregon Ducks at UCLA Bruins
Pauley Pavilion – Los Angeles, California
Thursday, February 27, 2014, 11:00 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN2
Opening Line: UCLA -7 1/2
Current Line: UCLA -7 1/2
Opening Total: 156 1/2
Current Total: 155
Opening Money Line: UCLA -310 / Oregon +255
Current Money Line: UCLA -340 / Oregon +280
The 21-6 UCLA Bruins are in second place in the Pac 12 at 10-4, 2.5 games behind Arizona. The Bruins host the 18-8 Oregon Ducks Thursday night. Oregon is 6-8 in the Pac 12 and tied for 9th with Oregon State. If UCLA loses tonight, it will clinch the Pac 12 regular season title for Arizona.
UCLA has dominated the series against Oregon 84-30. The Bruins won the first meeting this season 70-68 in Eugene January 30. This is the last scheduled meeting this season.
Oregon is coached by Dana Altman. The Ducks have losses at Colorado, and at home to California, Stanford, at Oregon State, at Washington, UCLA, at Arizona and at Arizona State. Oregon has key home wins over San Francisco, Pacific, Cal Poly, Illinois (in Portland), UC-Irvine, BYU, USC Oregon State, Washington, and Washington State 67-53 Sunday, over Georgetown in South Korea, plus road wins at Ole Miss, Utah, and Washington State. Oregon has won 3 straight games. The Ducks are 13-10-2 ATS and the total is 13-11 this season.
Oregon is outscoring teams 83-74 this season. The Ducks are #10 nationally in scoring, but #284 out of 351 teams in points allowed. Oregon is shooting 47.1% from the field and 38.8% from 3 point range. The Ducks are in the top 50 nationally in both categories. Oregon is # in free throw shooting nationally at 77.6% from the line. Duck opponents are shooting 43.9% from the field and 31.2% from 3 point range. Oregon averages 34 rebounds per game and opponents average 30. The Ducks average 14.9 assists, 11.8 turnovers, 8.2 steals and 3.3 blocks per game. Opponents average 12.5 assists, 14 turnovers, 5.3 steals and 4 blocks per game.
Ducks’ guard Joseph Young averages 18.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. Forward Mike Moser averages 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1 block per game. Guard Jason Calliste averages 12 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Guard Damyean Dotson averages 10.7 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Guard Johnathan Loyd averages 7.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.Forward Richard Amardi averages 7.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1 steal a game. Forward Elgin Cook averages 6.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. Dominic Artis and Waverly Austin will also get significant minutes. Guard A.J. Lapray (hip) and forward Brian Crow (ankle) are both out indefinitely.
UCLA is coached by Steve Alford. The Bruins have losses at Missouri, to Duke in New York City, Arizona, at Utah, at Oregon State, and at Stanford 83-74 Saturday. The Stanford loss snapped a 4 game winning streak for the Bruins. UCLA has wins over Drexel, Oakland, Nevada and Northwestern in a tournament in Las Vegas, UC-Santa Barbara, Weber State, Alabama, USC twice, Arizona State, Colorado twice, Stanford, Cal twice, at Oregon, and Utah. The Bruins are 17-9 ATS and the total is 12-13 this season.
UCLA is outscoring teams 83-70 this season. The Bruins are #9 in scoring nationally. UCLA is shooting 49.5% from the field and 40.5% from 3 point range. The Bruins are #9 in field goal percentage and #4 in 3 point shooting. UCLA is #31 in free throw shooting at 74.4% from the line. Bruin opponents are shooting 42.7% from the field and 34.3% from 3 point range. UCLA averages 35.9 rebounds per game and opponents average 30.1 per game. The Bruins average 18 assists, 11 turnovers, 10 steals and 3 blocks per game. Opponents average 13.7 assists, 15 turnovers, 5.8 steals, and 2.8 blocks per game.
Guard Jordan Adams averages 17.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. Guard/forward Kyle Anderson averages 14.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Guard Norman Powell averages 11.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Guard Zach LaVine averages 10.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal per game. Bryce Alford, Tony Parker, Travis Wear and David Wear all average at least 6.8 points per game. Guard Noah Allen is out indefinitely with an eye injury.
Oregon is 4-1 ATS overall and in Pac 12 games, 9-3-1 in road games, 26-9-2 after a cover, 14-5-2 after a straight up win, 8-3-1 against teams with winning records, 5-2-1 in road after 3 or more straight home games, 3-8-2 against teams with winning records, and 2-8-2 in Thursday games. The underdog and road team are both 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games in this series. The Ducks are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 against the Bruins and also 4-1 ATS on the road in the series.
UCLA is 5-0 ATS at home, 4-0 after a straight up loss and in Thursday games, 11-1 after failing to cover, 4-1 overall and in Pac 12 games, 6-2 against teams with winning records, and 22-8 against teams with losing road records.
Oregon looks to be on the bubble for the NCAA tournament, and could use a signature win against the Bruins. UCLA looks to be safely in the field but is trying to improve their seeding. Neither can afford a loss, but I like the Bruins at home in a close game.
