Washington State Cougars at UCLA Bruins
Saturday, February 9, 2013, 10:00 pm Eastern, TV: Pac 12 Network
Pauley Pavilion – Los Angeles, California
Opening Line: UCLA -11
Current Line: UCLA -9 1/2
Opening Total: 134 1/2
Current Total: 134 1/2
Opening Money Line: UCLA -550 / Washington St +450
Current Money Line: UCLA -500 / Washington St +400
The Pac 12 is a jumbled mess with 9 teams within 3 games of first place, and 4 teams within a game of first. Arizona leads the conference with an 8-2 record, but Oregon UCLA, and Arizona St are all 7-3. Then comes a group of five 5-5 teams followed by Oregon St, Washington St, and Utah all at 2-8. The 17-6 UCLA Bruins host the 11-12 Washington St Cougars Saturday night.
UCLA leads the series against Washington St 101-14, including 53-2 in Los Angeles. The Bruins have won 7 straight games in the series, and 16 of the last 18. UCLA won both meetings last season including 78-46 at home last year. The two teams will play again March 6th in Pullman.
Washington St is coached by Ken Bone. The Cougars have lost 5 of their last 6 games and 3 in a row. Washington St has losses at Pepperdine, Stanford, Cal, Oregon, and USC Thursday 72-68, to Kansas and Texas A&M in a tournament in Kansas City, and at home against Gonzaga, Washington, Colorado, Arizona St, and Arizona. The Cougars are 11-8-1 ATS and the total is 7-7 this season.
Washington St is outscoring teams 64-61 this season. The Cougars shoot 42.2% from the field and 33.3% from 3 point range. WSU makes 67.5% of their free throws. The Cougars are 200th or worse in all offensive categories out of 347 teams. Washington St averages 34.5 rebounds per game and give up 27.8 per game. Cougar opponents are shooting 41.1% from the field and 34.8% from 3 point range. Washington St averages 12 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, and 12 turnovers per game.
Forward Brock Motum averages 18.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 0.9 blocks a game. Guard Mike Ladd averages 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. Guard DaVonte Lacy averages 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Guard Royce Woolridge averages 8.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1 steal per game. Guard Dexter Kernich-Drew averages 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Forward D.J. Shelton averages 5.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Will DiIorio and Junior Longrus also get time in the rotation. Guard Que Johnson is out for the season because of academics.
UCLA is coached by Ben Howland. The Bruins have losses to Georgetown in Brooklyn, at home against Cal Poly and Oregon, to San Diego St in Anaheim, at Arizona St and at home to USC in overtime. The Bruins won at home Thursday against Washington 59-57 to snap a two game losing streak. The Bruins have key wins over Indiana St, UC-Irvine, James Madison, Georgia in Brooklyn, Texas in Houston, Long Beach St, Fresno St, Missouri, Cal Stanford and Oregon St, and at Utah, Colorado and Arizona St. UCLA is 8-14 ATS and the total is 7-9 this season.
UCLA is outscoring teams 76-69 this season. The Bruins are #28 in scoring. UCLA is #56 in field goal percentage at 45.9% from the field and shoot 32.3% from 3 point range. UCLA makes 71.1% of their free throws. The Bruins average 38.1 rebounds and give up 34.9 per game. Bruin opponents are shooting 41.8% from the field and 31.1% from 3 point range. UCLA averages 17 assists, 8 steals, 4 blocks, and 11 turnovers per game.
Guard/forward Shabazz Muhammad averages 18.6 points, and 5 rebounds a game. The freshman missed the first 3 games of the season due to being ineligible, but has been sensational since then. Guard Jordan Adams averages 14.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.9 steals per game. Forward Travis Wear averages 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. Guard Kyle Anderson averages 9.3 points, 9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals. Forward David Wear averages 7.3 points, and 5 rebounds per game. Guard Norman Powell averages 6.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Guard Larry Drew II averages 6.4 points, 7.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. Guard Nick Kazemi hasn’t played yet this season, and is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
Washington St is 3-1-1 ATS after a straight up loss, 17-8-1 overall, 2-6 against teams with winning records, and 1-4 in Saturday games. The under is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 games in this series.
UCLA is 11-5 at home against teams with losing road records, 2-5 in Saturday games, 1-4 after a straight up win, and against teams with losing records, 1-5 overall, and in Pac 12 games, and 0-4 at home. The home team and favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last 7 in this series. The Bruins are 6-1 ATS in the last 7 against the Cougars, including 4-0 in LA.
UCLA has dominated this series throughout history and recently. I see no reason why that changes saturday night. The Bruins should win handily.
