FRANCA (Interstat) — Cruzeiro will visit Franca on Thursday in a Brazilian basketball matchup at Ginasio Pedro Murilla Fuentes in Franca, Brazil. Cruzeiro enters with a 3-2 season record, while Franca is 2-3. Franca will be the home team, and Cruzeiro will be the visiting team.

Cruzeiro most recently earned a 78-74 win at Bauru. Adyel Borges led Cruzeiro with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes. Raffa Menca added 21 points and five rebounds, and Gerson Santo finished with six points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Earlier this season, Cruzeiro beat Pato Basquete 76-68, lost to UNICEUB 89-80, lost at Uniao Corinthians 83-74 and won at Caxias do Sul 72-61. Borges had 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the win at Caxias do Sul and five points, six rebounds and three assists in the loss at Uniao Corinthians. He played 36 minutes at Caxias do Sul and 30 minutes at Uniao Corinthians. He is the player to watch for Cruzeiro.

Franca most recently dropped an 87-76 home decision to Minas. V. da Silva Brandao had 15 points, two rebounds and seven assists in 38 minutes. R. Mineiro also scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Deodato added 11 points, five rebounds and four assists. Franca previously lost at Paulistano 65-62, lost at Corinthians Paulista 78-48, beat Mogi das Cruzes 90-74 and beat Sao Jose 90-59. Da Silva Brandao scored 20 points against Mogi das Cruzes and 18 points with five rebounds and three assists against Sao Jose. He had seven points, four rebounds and four assists at Paulistano and four points, four rebounds and six assists at Corinthians Paulista. Da Silva Brandao played 31 minutes at Paulistano, 27 minutes at Corinthians Paulista, 32 minutes against Mogi das Cruzes and 24 minutes against Sao Jose. He is the player to watch for Franca.

After the game on Thursday, Cruzeiro is scheduled to host Paraiba and Cearense before road games at Pinheiros and Osasco. Cruzeiro also has home games ahead against Minas, Sao Jose, Mogi das Cruzes and Botafogo, plus road games at Corinthians Paulista and Paulistano. Franca is set to visit Flamengo and Botafogo before home games against Caxias do Sul and Uniao Corinthians. Franca’s later slate includes home games against Bauru, Aguada, Paraiba and Cearense and a road game at UNICEUB.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Cruzeiro 82, Franca 81. Franca has been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of -14.5. The over/under for the game is 160.5.