Huge card today, lots of potential plays. I had 12 leans on my first glance through this card, but I'm just gonna start off with the UCLA game.

My play today is UCLA +11.5. Bruins looked fantastic at Pullman and the injury suffered by Keefe has forced Howland to start giving more minutes to Honeycutt, Morgan, and Lane, which represents the youth movement I was praying for earlier in the year once things got out of hand. This team has improved week to week but it still inconsistent at times. That being said, UCLA played Washington close in Pauley but now they get to go to one of it not the hardest road arenas in the Pac-10 with Washington. Washington also coming off a SU loss would make most people think they are due for a bounce back against an underachieving UCLA squad. Normally, that's true, but we're talking about the Pac-10 here. Wacky things happen.

UCLA has been greater than a double digit dog just three times this year and they are 2-1 ATS, including covering against Kansas and winning straight up against Cal. With a big number like this you always have to worry about the backdoor cover late. As for Washington, they have been double digit favorites eleven times this year and are 2-10 in those games by my count. 

Reeves Nelson will play today after taking a nasty looking header off the floor coming down from a dunk in Pullman. He should be active and ready to bang inside with Washington's big bodies all game. Brendan Lane has shown glimpses of solid play in the zone defense and has really long arms to help alter shots underneath. Bobo Morgan played great last game dishing out three assists from the center position (which is 4 less than Nelson has all year, I believe). He really is effective playing the middle of the zone and blocking shots.

While Washington has the clear quickness advantage at the guard spot (which should result in at least a few easy steals and fast break buckets for them, especially if they press), the zone has somewhat nullified that weakness for UCLA in the half court defensive set.

UCLA has been playing well in the last couple of games despite Dragovic sucking again (notice a common theme on this year's squad?). However, Dragovic is always capable of a big shooting night because the idiot has no conscious and the green light from Howland for whatever god awful reason. If he gets hot and shoots the ball well today, UCLA could win this thing straight up or be right at it in the end.

I pegged this game right on the spot at 11 or 11.5 figuring that UCLA was about two points worse than USC. Then again, I thought the USC line was off by about 3-4 points as they should have been no more than a 5-6 point underdog against Washington on Thursday.

In short, I don't think that any of the top 6-8 teams in the Pac-10 should be laying double digits to any other top 6-8 team in the Pac-10 in any situation. There's just too much parity of suckiness in the conference this ye ar. Yes, I know Washington has a good home records, but that didn't stop them from getting beat SU by USC when they were nine point favorites on Thursday night.

My other leans for today:

Stanford +5
Stanford ML +180
Kentucky +1
Portland -4
Sacramento State +17.5

Locking in one more play:

USC +1

Maybe I'm the only one, but I feel like that USC line is way off, like 3-4 points off. USC has a revenge angle going for it and is coming off a super impressive showing against Washington. The Cougars have lost 6 of their last 7 since their win at Southern Cal and now they are favorites in this game? That doesn't sit right with me. I think we see another USC victory today.

Who has WSU beat at home in conference this year? Only Arizona, Stanford, and OSU -- not exactly the best teams in the conference.

If Arizona State can beat WSU by 11 in Pullman, then USC can win this game straight up. Teams have figured out now that if you can shut down Reggie Moore and Klay Thompson, there's no one else on the Cougars who is offensively talented enough to beat you. Add in that USC plays some of the best defense in the conference, and we all know that defense always travels well, and I really, really like USC.

Best of luck to everyone today, always interested in people's comments.