UCLA vs Mizzou CBB Picks
Saturday afternoon will feature a battle of unbeatens when the Missouri Tigers host the No. 18 UCLA Bruins. The Tigers are coming off of a nine-point victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers, while UCLA’s last outing saw it take down UC Santa Barbara 89-76. [ad-4468020]
No. 18 UCLA (8-0, 0-0 Pac-12) @ Missouri (8-0, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Dec. 7 12:30 PM ET @ Mizzou Arena
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This matchup will be the biggest test of the young season for both squads, and it will take place on CBS in front of a national television audience.
UCLA
After beginning the season 8-0, the UCLA Bruins have jumped out to their best start since the 2006-07 season. It’s averaging 90.6 points per game, which is the good for sixth in the nation, and it is shooting an incredible field-goal percentage along the way (55.3%, second in the country).
The star of this group is Jordan Adams.
He’s posting 21.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 2.9 assists in 28.8 minutes per game. He’s also shooting with unbelievable efficiency, as he’s knocking down 55.3 percent of his field goals, 40 percent of his three-pointers and 88.1 percent of his free throws.
This game is going to come down to what kind of pressure Missouri can put on the sophomore guard. Players such as Kyle Anderson will make a difference along the way, as he has four double-doubles on the year already, but the success of this team is directly correlated to that of Adams.
We haven’t seen anything but brilliance yet this season, but the Tigers would like to change that this weekend.
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Missouri
UCLA is used to playing away from home, but its last two road contests have been at neutral locations. First it was the Nevada Wolfpack at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, then it was Northwestern at the same location. Now the Bruins will be dealt a true road test, as the Tigers are set to host this one at Mizzou Arena.
Since the venue opened in 2004, Missouri has made opponents pay for entering its territory. It has lost just 21 times during that stretch, winning 141 games along the way (the team is 88-4 at home since the 2008-09 campaign).
On the opposite side of the spectrum, UCLA has beaten the Tigers to the tune of 6-1 all time. The last time they played was in December of 2012; a three-point overtime victory for the Bruins.
The key to this one, aside from home-court advantage, is going to be putting a halt to an offense that is on fire.
The Bruins have scored 81 points or more in its last seven games, which is a number the Tigers have only reached twice all season.
On the other hand, Missouri has two offensive juggernauts of its own in Jordan Clarkson and Jabari Brown. The two have combined to score 38.6 points per contest, and Brown has established himself as a legitimate downtown threat, shooting 46.7 percent from long range.
Don’t expect either team to run away with this one, but don’t be shocked if Missouri comes away with the win.
Home-court advantage and a pair of scorers should be enough to combat the offensive attack that UCLA will bring.
Prediction: Missouri 81 – UCLA 79
