Santa Barbara at Stanford

Stanford has their best team since the 03-04 team started at 26-0. They have two blowout wins which help feed this line. But realistically, they have gone untested to this point. The Cardinal will be without 7'0" center Brook Lopez (12.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg last year) as he is academically ineligible. They will be facing a UCSB team that is loaded itself, and is likely to be the best coach Bob Williams has put on the floor in his 10 years leading the program. UCSB has the best player on the floor in Alex Harris. Harris managed 21 ppg last season and is currently averaging 25.5 ppg through two games this season. Chris Devine, is also a bigtime player, and that gives UCSB forwards on each side of the hoop that can score. Joyner and Powell make up the best backcourt in the Big West. A few additions give this team depth, and the Gauchos are a team that will likely be in the dance come March. This is a lot of points to be serving up a competent opponent, and the value is there on UCSB because Stanford is off of two big blowout wins. We will ride the Gauchos in a much closer game than expected.