Game: Missouri vs UCLA
Tip-off: 10:20 pm ET
Line: UCLA - 1.5
Total: 154.5
Summary:
The last time UCLA and Missouri met, Tyus Edney's memorable basket at the buzzer gave the Bruins a 75-74 win in the 1995 NCAA Tournament.
Eighth-seeded UCLA and No. 12 Missouri meet seven years later in Thursday's semifinals of the West Region. It is a mild surprise that both teams have advanced this far. Each finished sixth in its respective conference. UCLA pounded Mississippi in the first round before posting a thrilling 105-101 double overtime win over top-seeded Cincinnati. Missouri is the lowest seed left in the tournament and defeated fifth-seeded Miami and No. 4 Ohio State to reach the "Sweet 16" for the first time since 1994.
The 22 losses between the two teams are the most of any matchup in the regional semifinals.
UCLA (21-11) received huge performances from numerous players in its epic victory over the Bearcats on Sunday. Dan Gadzuric collected 26 points and 12 rebounds while Jason Kapono added 17 of his 19 after halftime. The Bruins trailed by 11 points with 9:21 remaining before rallying to force overtime. A three-point play by Billy Knight in the second extra session gave UCLA a 97-93 lead with 1:27 left and Cincinnati never recovered. UCLA has also received a strong boost from freshman Dijon Thompson in the tournament. Thompson scored a season-high 16 points in the first round and added 10 and four rebounds against the Bearcats. Bruins coach Steve Lavin is 11-5 in the NCAA Tournament but is just 1-3 in regional semifinals. UCLA has hit its stride after finishing sixth in the Pac-10, the worst finish in the storied history of the program. The Bruins will be without senior guard Rico Hines, who suffered a torn lateral miniscus in Sunday's victory and sat out the entire second half. Hines averages just 1.1 points but is one of UCLA's top defensive players.
Missouri (23-11) was ranked as high as second in the country in early December but stumbled to a sixth-place finish in the Big 12. The Tigers have recovered to win their two NCAA Tournament games by an average of 14.5 points against two higher-seeded games.
Clarence Gilbert and Rickey Paulding each averaged 18 points in the two wins while Kareem Rush chipped in at 16 points per game. The Tigers have also been dominant on the glass, outrebounding their two foes by an average of 16.5 boards. The Tigers are one of four teams from the Big 12 left in the tournament. No other conference has that many teams left and the Big 12 is 8-2 thus far.
Missouri is trying to become the first No. 12 seed to reach a regional final. No. 11 seeds have turned the trick on several occasions, with Temple doing so last season.
UCLA has won all five meetings with Missouri, including the 1995 classic in Boise, Idaho. The previous four meetings were all in Los Angeles.
Favorable Trends:
Missouri
5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games.
6-2 ATS on neutral courts and 8-4 ATS in non-conference games on the season
UCLA:
5-16 ATS as a favorite
11-19 ATS overall on the season
Pick2Play: Missouri + 1.5 (5 units)
Good Luck,
Picks2Play
Tip-off: 10:20 pm ET
Line: UCLA - 1.5
Total: 154.5
Summary:
The last time UCLA and Missouri met, Tyus Edney's memorable basket at the buzzer gave the Bruins a 75-74 win in the 1995 NCAA Tournament.
Eighth-seeded UCLA and No. 12 Missouri meet seven years later in Thursday's semifinals of the West Region. It is a mild surprise that both teams have advanced this far. Each finished sixth in its respective conference. UCLA pounded Mississippi in the first round before posting a thrilling 105-101 double overtime win over top-seeded Cincinnati. Missouri is the lowest seed left in the tournament and defeated fifth-seeded Miami and No. 4 Ohio State to reach the "Sweet 16" for the first time since 1994.
The 22 losses between the two teams are the most of any matchup in the regional semifinals.
UCLA (21-11) received huge performances from numerous players in its epic victory over the Bearcats on Sunday. Dan Gadzuric collected 26 points and 12 rebounds while Jason Kapono added 17 of his 19 after halftime. The Bruins trailed by 11 points with 9:21 remaining before rallying to force overtime. A three-point play by Billy Knight in the second extra session gave UCLA a 97-93 lead with 1:27 left and Cincinnati never recovered. UCLA has also received a strong boost from freshman Dijon Thompson in the tournament. Thompson scored a season-high 16 points in the first round and added 10 and four rebounds against the Bearcats. Bruins coach Steve Lavin is 11-5 in the NCAA Tournament but is just 1-3 in regional semifinals. UCLA has hit its stride after finishing sixth in the Pac-10, the worst finish in the storied history of the program. The Bruins will be without senior guard Rico Hines, who suffered a torn lateral miniscus in Sunday's victory and sat out the entire second half. Hines averages just 1.1 points but is one of UCLA's top defensive players.
Missouri (23-11) was ranked as high as second in the country in early December but stumbled to a sixth-place finish in the Big 12. The Tigers have recovered to win their two NCAA Tournament games by an average of 14.5 points against two higher-seeded games.
Clarence Gilbert and Rickey Paulding each averaged 18 points in the two wins while Kareem Rush chipped in at 16 points per game. The Tigers have also been dominant on the glass, outrebounding their two foes by an average of 16.5 boards. The Tigers are one of four teams from the Big 12 left in the tournament. No other conference has that many teams left and the Big 12 is 8-2 thus far.
Missouri is trying to become the first No. 12 seed to reach a regional final. No. 11 seeds have turned the trick on several occasions, with Temple doing so last season.
UCLA has won all five meetings with Missouri, including the 1995 classic in Boise, Idaho. The previous four meetings were all in Los Angeles.
Favorable Trends:
Missouri
5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 games.
6-2 ATS on neutral courts and 8-4 ATS in non-conference games on the season
UCLA:
5-16 ATS as a favorite
11-19 ATS overall on the season
Pick2Play: Missouri + 1.5 (5 units)
Good Luck, Picks2Play
