2014 NCAA Tournament South Region Preview: (12) S.F. Austin Lumberjacks vs. (4) UCLA Bruins

(12) S.F. Austin vs. (4) UCLA
Time: 7:10 PM ET, Mar 23, 2014
TV: TBS
Spread: UCLA -9
M/L: UCLA -550; SFA +375
Total: 144

Betting odds courtesy of Bovada

UCLA defeated Tulsa 76-69 in its second round matchup to advance to the round of 32 and it will face a heavily under dogged S.F. Austin team that defeated VCU 77-75 in OT to win its first game. College basketball odds showed the UCLA Bruins as 9 point favorites in third round NCAA Tournament action Sunday night.

S.F. Austin is now 32-2 on the season and it swept the Southland Conference 18-0. The Lumberjacks averaged 76.5 points per game and ranked 8th in the nation in assists per game (16.6). Jacob Parker won Conference Player of the Year and averaged 14.4 points and seven rebounds per game this season, while Desmond Haymon is also a key contributor offensively, adding another 14.4 per game.

Parker shot the ball very well from the floor this season, 54.7 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from three-point range. Parker hit 9-of-14 against VCU en route to 22 points, four rebounds and an assist. Haymon added 17 points and seven boards and both played 38 minutes in the game.

UCLA is one of the most talented offensive teams in the tournament. It averaged 81.8 points per game this season and shot 49 percent from the floor as a team. Kyle Anderson is one of the most versatile swingmen in the country and contributed a well-rounded line of 14.7 points, 8.8 rebonds and 6.6 assists per game. Anderson is expected to be a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

6’5″ sophomore guard Jordan Adams is also a big time scorer and averaged 17.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in the 2013-14 season. He had 21 in the victory over Tulsa, hitting 7-of-12 from the floor, and grabbing eight rebounds and dishing out four assists. Adams disappeared in the win over Stanford on Mar 14, but has been aggressive since and scored 19 in the win over Arizona on Mar 15.