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An unexpected battle for first-place in the Pac-12 takes place Saturday afternoon when the Arizona Wildcats visit the Stanford Cardinal. The Cats are in their usual spot at the top of the standings, but the Cardinal have surprised with a fast start that has them locked in a duel with UA. Not many thought Stanford was in a position to be in first place at any point during the year after going just 6-7 in their non-conference slate, but the start of league play means everything.
Don't miss the hardwood action from Maples Pavilion at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 20, 2018. Catch every moment of the game live on CBS. We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Saturday schedule.
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The Cardinal have to feel somewhat blessed after the opening of Pac-12 play. They started with a loss against last-place and rival Cal, but rebounded with an overtime win over UCLA and a buzzer-beating three that gave them a victory over USC. Playing on the road for the first time, they swept the Washington schools last week, giving them their first two-game road sweep in conference play in nearly eight years. With non-conference losses to Eastern Washington, Portland State and Long Beach State, it’s hard to take Stanford seriously, but a win over the Wildcats could change that.
Arizona hasn’t been the best bet against the spread since the start of league play, going just 1-3-1 ATS in their first five Pac-12 games. But they have won all three of their road matches, which bodes well heading into Maples against an energized Stanford team. The Wildcats will be laying points in this matchup and the luck of the Cardinal at home could be worth the gamble.
Player to Watch
The Wildcats have the best collection of talent in the Pac-12 and that’s why they are where they are. But the best of the bunch is big man Deandre Ayton, a contender for national player of the year and a likely lottery pick in the NBA Draft. Ayton began his collegiate career with five straight double-doubles and has collected 13 in 19 games while averaging a double-double for the season. He leads the Pac-12 in scoring with just over 20 points per game and hauls down 11.3 boards per contest.
His athleticism is unparalleled for a man his size and at 7-foot-1 he runs the floor like a point guard. He’s been a matchup problem for every opponent and the Cardinal will have their hands full trying to contain him. A near impossible task since no one has come close yet this season.
Revenge Angle
Beating Arizona would be nice for Stanford’s upward trajectory in the Pac-12 standings. It would also put an end to string of losses that has reached 15 straight. The Cardinal last beat Arizona nine years ago, pulling off a 76-60 cover win at Maples Pavilion. Since then the series has been all Wildcats and many of the games haven’t been close.
But after what’s happened on The Farm to start league play, the Cardinal have to be feeling like they at least have a chance at ending the skid. They are the second-highest scoring team in conference-only games and their 48.7 field goal percentage through the first five league contests leads the Pac-12.
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It appears as though Stanford’s young roster has come together just in time for the start of league play. The Cardinal have just two seniors and first-year players Kezie Okpala and Daejon Davis have taken over as the team’s top scoring threats. But they have little on the bench and lack a true big man who can offer some resistance to Ayton.
With Ayton and Allonzo Trier, Arizona has the best one-two punch in the conference and the supporting cast isn’t too shabby either. Don’t expect the Wildcats to take this game lightly after watching the Cardinal rip off a few wins in dramatic fashion at home. This is a methodical group and Ayton will add to his stellar numbers in a big road win.
College Basketball Odds: Arizona 84, Stanford 72
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