UCLA (14-15) vs Arizona (23-6)
March 7, 2024 at 09:30 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: UCLA +8.5 – Over/Under: 147.5
The Arizona Wildcats will travel to Los Angeles to meet the UCLA Bruins in Pac-12 play this Thursday from the Pauley Pavilion on ESPN. Arizona enters as 8.5-point road favorites, with the total hovering 147.5. Stay tuned for our Arizona vs UCLA Prediction.
Arizona Preview: Wildcats Looking to Wrap Up Regular Season Crown
Arizona climbed to 23-6 after defeating Oregon in Tucson, 103-83. The Wildcats blitzed the Ducks early to cruise to their third straight victory, and they’ll look to wrap up the season sweep of the Bruins Thursday in LA. Arizona is scoring 90.3 points per game, on 49.5% shooting, while allowing 72.1 ppg, and they’re currently first in the Pac-12 with a 14-4 record in league play. The Wildcats are 9-1 over their last ten games, and they’ve gone 6-3 on the road this season.
Arizona Team Profile
- Tommy Lloyd’s team pushes the tempo at will, averaging 77.2 possessions per game (8th), and they’ve knocked down 37.7% of their treys.
- UNC transfer Caleb Love has reached the 22-point mark in three of the last four games, and he leads Arizona in scoring (19.4), while grabbing 5.1 rpg.
- Junior big Oumar Ballo has grabbed 12 boards or more in three straight contests, and he leads the Wildcats in rebounding (10.2), while adding 13.1 ppg.
- Veteran guard Pelle Larson led the way with 22 points in the win over Oregon, and he’s first on the team in assists (3.7), while averaging 13.3 ppg.
UCLA Preview: Bruins Fading in the Bottom of the Ninth
UCLA fell to 14-15 after losing to Washington State in Pullman, 77-65. The Bruins were outscored in both periods by the Cougars, and they’ll try to dodge a fifth straight loss here against the Wildcats. UCLA is scoring 66.2 points per game, on 41.7% shooting, while allowing 64.0 ppg, and they’re currently 6th in the Pac-12 with a 9-9 record in conference play. The Bruins are 6-4 over their previous ten games, and they’re 8-6 in Los Angeles this season.
UCLA Bruins Team Profile
- Mick Cronin’s group has played through their defense this season, averaging 67.0 possessions per game (337th), and they’ve shot poorly from deep, hitting 31.8% of their threes.
- Freshman guard Sebastian Mack went for a team-high 21 points on the January 20th loss to Arizona, and he leads UCLA in scoring (12.8).
- Sophomore big Adem Bona scored 21 points in both road matchups with UW & Wazzu, and he leads the Bruins in rebounding (5.8), while scoring 12.2 ppg.
- Second-year guard David Andrews has tallied 15 points or more in three of the last four games, and he’s up to 11.7 ppg and a team-leading 3.8 apg.
- Utah transfer Lazar Stefanovic went for a season-high 22 points versus Washington, and he’s averaging 11.4 ppg and 6.2 rpg.
Arizona vs UCLA Trends
- Arizona leads the current series, 61-47, after four of the last five meetings.
- ARZ is 19-10 against the spread, with a 14-14-1 O/U record
- UCLA is 13-15-1 ATS, with a 12-17 over/under record.
Arizona vs UCLA Prediction
This trip to Los Angeles for Arizona will determine the Pac-12’s final regular season champion, and I believe they will deliver on their end. UCLA’s midseason turnaround was nice to see, but they’ve since dropped four straight games, and the Wildcats should find a way to extend that. The big man matchup of Oumar Ballo and Adem Bona will be a huge swinging factor in this one, and the visitors carry an advantage in that column also. Let’s back Arizona this Thursday night in conference play.