The Stanford Cardinal will be at McKale Center to take on the No. 18 Arizona Wildcats in a Pac-12 matchup. Action starts at 4:00 pm ET on Saturday, Mar. 5 and will air on CBS.
The Wildcats edged California 64-61 on Thursday. Ryan Anderson fueled the Wildcats, recording 18 points and 10 rebounds to notch his 15th double-double this season. The Cardinal are coming off a 74-64 loss to Arizona State on Thursday. Dorian Pickens had a good shooting night, leading the game with 19 points.
Michael Humphrey has been on fire over the last five games for the Cardinal, averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.8 steals, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 three-pointer.
The frequency with which the Cardinal shoot free throws could play a key factor in this game. They rank 18th in the nation in FTA rate (44.5), but Arizona is among the best in the nation at keeping opponents off the line (ranking 21st by allowing a FTA rate of 27.5).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Wildcats won the first game 71-57. Anderson had a stellar game with 18 points and eight rebounds.
The Wildcats look to build on their records of 23-7 Straight Up (SU) and 15-15 Against The Spread (ATS). The Wildcats have no trouble scoring as they rank 44th in the nation in home offense with 81.6 points per game. The Wildcats have a distinct advantage on the boards in this matchup. They are the 25th-ranked rebounding team in Division I, averaging 40.2 per game, while the Cardinal rank 276th in the nation with 34.2 per game.
As for their opponent, the Cardinal have records of 11-14-1 ATS and 15-13 SU. Offensively, the Cardinal have really picked up the pace in the last 10 games. They have exceeded their season average of 69.9 points per game by averaging 77.7 during that stretch.
With the Wildcats’ last win against Stanford, their SU record rises to 10-0 over Stanford in their most recent meetings. With a 7-3 record, the Wildcats also have the advantage ATS. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers, Arizona held the edge in all three of these categories three times in the last five meetings. Stanford never did so in those games.
Predictions: SU Winner – Ari, ATS Winner – Ari
Notes
Arizona is one of the highest-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 80.5 points per game (ranked 20th). Stanford allows 68.8 points per game (ranked 88th).
Arizona scores 81.6 points per home game (ranked 44th). Stanford ranks a poor 120th in points allowed on the road, allowing 73.7 points.
Ranked 34th, the Arizona Wildcats have an offensive rating of 113.9. The Stanford Cardinal rank 117th with a defensive rating of just 102.7.
The Arizona Wildcats average 70.7 possessions and 1.139 points per possession in games this season. The Stanford Cardinal average fewer possessions with 66.5, as well as fewer points per possession with 1.051.
Arizona has an average effective field goal percentage of 53.7%. Stanford is an abysmal 1-8 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
On average, the Arizona Wildcats attempt 16.0 three point field goals per game and the Stanford Cardinal attempt 17.0. In games where they attempt at least 20 threes, Arizona has an outstanding 8-1 record, while Stanford is 5-4.
Ranked 25th in the nation, Arizona averages 40.2 rebounds per game. Stanford ranks lower at 276th with 34.2 RPG.
The Stanford Cardinal make an average of 6.8 steals per game. When the Arizona Wildcats give up 6 or more steals, they are a solid 7-3.
