5* NCAAB Game of the Year

Stanford vs. California, 03/08/2012 21:00 EDT, Score: 71 - 77

Point Spread: -4/-105 California

Sportsbook: 5Dimes

Result: Win

5* NCAAB Game of the Year on Cal -4
Back-to-back losses to Colorado and Stanford cost Cal a Pac-12 title, and I have no doubt that simple fact isn't sitting well with the Bears. Motivated by those defeats, I expect Cal to be on a mission in the Pac-12 tourney. They'll especially take great pride in paying back rival Stanford.

Cal had defeated Stanford by double digits in back-to-back meetings and by at least 7 points in 5 of 6 meetings before enduring a 5-point loss to the Cardinal on March 4. The fact Stanford was plus-12 from 3-point range in that game was a fluke considering it hadn't been more than plus-9 in any of the previous five meetings. It was no more than plus-six in four of those.

Cal is the better team, and I don't expect it to allow Stanford to beat it with the long ball again.

Cal is 23-10 ATS in its last 33 when playing away from home after 2 or more consecutive losses, 20-7 ATS in its last 27 games away from home off 2 straight losses to conference rivals and 6-0 ATS when playing away from home after having lost 2 of its last 3 games over the last 2 seasons.

In addition, Stanford is 0-6 ATS after covering the number in 5 or 6 of its last 7 games over the last 3 seasons.

Lastly, the favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings. We'll take Cal.