UCLA doesn’t have much room for error this season. The Bruins (18-7, 9-3) are firmly on the NCAA tournament bubble, and they’re only at that point because they’ve won nine of their last 10 games.
But six of those wins came at home. And Thursday’s trip to Stanford represents the perfect setup for a UCLA stumble.
The Cardinal (13-11, 6-7) don’t look like much, but they play at the Bruins’ speed, have a decent defense and have even beaten Washington at home this season. If I’m UCLA, I’m coming ready to play. (10:30 p.m. ET, FSN)
(All times ET)
Richmond at Temple, 7 p.m. (CCS): Both teams are 9-2 in A-10 play and trying to stay with conference leader Xavier, which has a one-game lead. Loser gets a spot on the NCAA tournament bubble. That’s probably unfair for a pair of solid teams, but it’s how the season’s going.
Washington State at Arizona, 8:30 p.m. (FSN): A Wildcats win inches them ever closer to a Pac-10 title. But the real story here is which elite scorer has the better night – Wazzu’s Klay Thompson or Arizona’s Derrick Williams.
DePaul at Providence, 9 p.m. (ESPN2): Might not be a better chance to see one of the nation’s most underrated players – Marshon Brooks – play. A home game against DePaul? Man, he could score 40 points.
EAST
Quinnipiac at Bryant, 7 p.m.
Sacred Heart at Cent. Connecticut St., 7 p.m.
Robert Morris at Fairleigh Dickinson, 7 p.m.
St. Francis, NY at Mount St. Mary’s, Md., 7 p.m.
Minnesota at Penn St., 7 p.m.
Richmond at Temple, 7 p.m.
Long Island U. at Wagner, 7 p.m.
St. Francis, Pa. at Monmouth, N.J., 7:45 p.m.
DePaul at Providence, 9 p.m.
SOUTH
W. Carolina at Appalachian St., 7 p.m.
N.C. Central at Coastal Carolina, 7 p.m.
Clemson at N.C. State, 7 p.m.
Coll. of Charleston at The Citadel, 7:05 p.m.
Campbell at Stetson, 7:15 p.m.
ETSU at Belmont, 8 p.m.
S.C.-Upstate at Lipscomb, 8 p.m.
Arkansas St. at Louisiana-Lafayette, 8:05 p.m.
Middle Tennessee at Troy, 8:30 p.m.
Alabama at LSU, 9 p.m.
MIDWEST
S. Dakota St. at IPFW, 7 p.m.
S. Utah at IUPUI, 7 p.m.
N. Dakota St. at Oakland, Mich., 7 p.m.
Olivet Nazarene at Chicago St., 8 p.m.
UMKC at W. Illinois, 8 p.m.
Iowa at Northwestern, 9 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
W. Kentucky at Ark.-Little Rock, 8 p.m.
South Alabama at North Texas, 8 p.m.
N.J. Tech at Houston Baptist, 8:35 p.m.
FAR WEST
Washington St. at Arizona, 8:30 p.m.
Washington at Arizona St., 8:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Monroe at Denver, 9 p.m.
Santa Clara at Gonzaga, 9 p.m.
San Francisco at Portland, 9 p.m.
South Dakota at Utah Valley, 9 p.m.
Southern Cal at California, 10:30 p.m.
UCLA at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
Want more? I’m also on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.