2022 did not go the way the Stanford Cardinal (5-9) or California Golden Bears (2-13) basketball teams wanted, but it is a new year. Check the Stanford vs California Picks below.
The two programs look to bounce back as they each play their first game of the new year. Still, the season is far from over. As conference play is in full swing, it is time to take a look at our best Stanford vs California picks.
Stanford Cardinal vs. California Golden Bears Odds
Friday night is a big game for two NCAA basketball teams towards the bottom of the PAC-12. The Stanford Cardinals travel to take on their in-state rival, the California Golden Bears, at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley.
Even as the home team, the California Golden Bears odds are not as close as you might imagine. Both teams are quite close in the college basketball standings, but the odds lines have the road team favored by three possessions.
Currently, the NCAAB odds have the Golden Bears +8 (-110) against the spread. Likewise, Stanford sits as 8-point favorites as they search for their 6th win of the season.
With many important conference games taking place, Stanford vs California will be one of the most enticing NCAA basketball games today. Finally, the total for the game sits at a very low 124.5 (-110). That is one of the lowest totals for Friday’s slate on the NCAAB schedule.
Matchup Information
NCAAB Stanford Cardinal vs. California Golden Bears
Location of the game: Haas Pavilion, Berkeley.
Time: Friday, 6th January 2023, 9:00 PM
Stanford Cardinal Betting Analysis
It is going to be a late night for those watching the Stanford Cardinal take on the California Golden Bears. The Stanford Cardinal standings will show the team at the bottom of the PAC-12. They have a 5-9 record overall and are the lone winless team in the conference at 0-4. Only four conference games have been played, and a win against California can spark a run.
Of all college basketball teams, Stanford is one of the lowest-scoring. Looking at their NCAAB team stats prove why the overall total for the game is so low. The Cardinal only have one player scoring in double digits this season at 12.3 points in Spencer Jones. They are balanced but do not have that one guy that will light up the scoring column. A big game from Harrison Ingram will be needed to get the victory.
Stanford Efficiency
On top of that, Stanford is very inefficient, shooting just 30.8% from the three-point line. As an undersized bunch, rebounds are also hard to come by. There will not be many of the nation’s top college basketball players on the floor Friday night.
Stanford has not been great on the Moneyline, but they are at least a little better when it comes to covering the spread. They are a slightly below-average team against the spread at 6-8 and an even 7-7 in the over/under. Stanford failed to cover the spread in their last two games, while the total went over in their last four games. Keep that in mind for your Stanford vs California picks.
California Golden Bears Betting Analysis
It is safe to say this season has not been going the way of the California Golden Bears, as they sit with just two wins through 15 games of action. That means they win just 15% of their games.
You do not have to be a mathematician to know that it is less than ideal. Not only are the wins not being strung together, but the college basketball injury report also has not been too friendly to the Golden Bears. Four players–including their most important–are currently on the NCAAB injury report.
California is a very top-heavy team, meaning they are carried in the scoring problem. Their best player is Devin Askew, who averages 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists at the guard position. The bad news, however, is that he is questionable to play in this game. With one conference win, this is a must-play game for Junior from Sacramento.
After him, Lars Thiemann is the go-to guy. The forward averages 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds and has the best field goal percentage on the team at 54.8%. California relies heavily on its starters, especially Askew and Thiemann.
Betting Trends
Both the Stanford Cardinal and Golden Bears have a very similar resume in terms of betting trends in the 2022-23 season. Cal is 6-9 against the spread and 7-8 when it comes to the over/under.
Both teams have the same amount of wins in those categories, aside from California playing one more game in their schedule. An interesting trend to look at for the California Golden Bears is their recent performances in the over/under. They have not had a two-game stretch in their last ten games with the same outcome.
If one game is under, the next will be over. If this trend follows, Friday night’s game will be under the listed total. The recent trends say you should keep the under on your radar for your Stanford vs California picks.
Stanford Cardinal vs. California Golden Bears Betting Preview
Of all the college basketball picks Friday, this is one of the more intriguing ones. It is going to be a defensive, low-scoring battle between two California rivals.
The Stanford Cardinal or California Golden Bears are not glamorous, but there is a lot of basketball left to be played. Stanford is looking for their first PAC-12 win of the season, while the California Golden Bears are looking for No. 2. The lines love Stanford -8 (-110), but the right move here is California +8 (-110).
It would be smart to stay away from the over/under in this contest. Both offenses are not great at scoring, but Stanford has been hammering the over as of late. There is a reason the total for this game at 124.5 is one of the lowest of the Friday slate. Focus all your marbles on the spread.
Only three wins separate these two teams, and California already has a conference win against Colorado (9-6). As the home team, this line is a little disrespectful toward the Golden Bears.
I am expecting a golden performance for California in Berkeley on their home floor.
Take the points with California +8 (-110) and enjoy your Friday night!
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