Stanford Cardinal (8-12) vs California Golden Bears (3-17)
Game Info: Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 10:00 pm (Maples Pavilion)
Betting Odds: Stanford Cardinal -11 -- Over/Under: 127.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
Where to Watch: ESPNU Stream College Basketball all season on ESPN+. Sign up now! 
The California Golden Bears will make the one-hour trip to Palo Alto to face the Stanford Cardinal in Pac-12 play from the Maples Pavilion on ESPNU. These two NoCo schools have a rich history on the gridiron, and they’ve faced off 130 times in the gymnasium. Stanford leads the all-time series, 92-78, but Cal has won the last two meetings.
Cal dropped to 3-17 after losing to Oregon State in Berkeley. The Golden Bears were held to an embarrassing 15 first half points, ended up losing to the Beavers by 20 points. Cal is scoring 61.1 points per game, while allowing 68.4 ppg, and shooting 41.7% from the field.
Cal took another 20-point defeat and at this point you have to wonder about the team’s overall morale. The Golden Bears have done a lot of losing, and that has more than likely taken a toll on the whole roster. Leader scorer and former UK guard Devin Askew (15.5 ppg) was sloppy in return from injury, and maybe he turns thing up for the rivalry matchup. Veteran big Lars Thiemann mans the middle and averages 10.7 ppg and a team-leading 6.3 rpg
Stanford improved to 8-12 following a home win over Chicago State. The Cardinal trailed the Cougars by seven at the break, but they responded with a big second half to pick up the 72-65 victory. Stanford scores 68.1 points per game, while allowing 66.1 ppg and shooting 43.6% from the field.
Stanford won a third straight game for the first time this season, and they actually have a good shot to keep that going versus a struggling Cal team. Four-year starter Spencer Jones leads the team in scoring at 12.9 ppg after going for 18 points in the win over Oregon State. Davidson transfer Michael Jones matched his 18 points, and he’s second on the team at 10.1 ppg. Sophomore forward Harrison Ingram leads the team in rebounding (5.2) and assists (3.3), while scoring 9.3 ppg.
California is 8-12 against the spread this season, with a 10-10 over/under record. Stanford is 9-11 ATS this year, with a 10-10 o/u record.
This spread for this Northern California matchup is compelling for multiple reasons. Cal has been terrible this season, and arguably the worst team in a Power Five conference, but one of their three wins is a 22-point victory over Stanford. Now revenge could be a dish best served, but is Stanford really worthy of being a double digit favorite? That remains to be seen, but again, the Golden Bears have been abysmal this season, and the Cardinal will simply have the benefit of doubt for this contest. The final game of a stacked Saturday slate may be truly underwhelming, but roll with Stanford’s spread cautiously for this Pac-12 contest.
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Corey’s Pick Stanford -11
AUTHOR: Corey Ghee
Mitch's Take...
