As always, Saturday brings a ton of intriguing matchups in college basketball, so here’s the best betting pick for the Pac-12 showdown between the Washington Huskies and UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.
The Bruins opened as firm 14.5-point favorites on BetAmerica Sportsbook, looking for their seventh straight Pac-12 victory of the season. UCLA is topping the conference standings at the moment, while Washington sits bottom with a 0-6 record in the Pac-12 play.
Washington dropped seven straight contests
The Washington Huskies (1-10; 0-6 Conf.) extended their losing streak to seven games this past Thursday, suffering a heavy 95-68 defeat at the USC Trojans. They didn’t stand a chance, trailing by 21 points at halftime already. The Huskies struggled on both sides of the ball, shooting just 37.9% from the field and allowing the Trojans to make 50.8% of their field goals.
Washington is No. 251 in the NCAA NET Rankings, and it seems the Huskies cannot turn this season around. They tally 100.8 points per 100 possessions (181st in the country), and only Quade Green scores in double figures, averaging 14.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists a night.
The Huskies make just 39.3% of their field goals (321st) and 27.9% of their 3-pointers (322nd). On the other side of the ball, they surrender 99.4 points per 100 possessions (125th) on 44.0% shooting from the field (225th).
UCLA easily topped Washington State
The UCLA Bruins (10-2; 6-0 Conf.) are on a five-game win streak following a comprehensive 91-61 victory to the Washington State Cougars this past Thursday. They shot 54.1% from the field and 56.3% from beyond the 3-point line while scoring a whopping 54 first-half points.
UCLA will miss Chris Smith for the rest of the season, as senior guard sustained a torn ACL in his left knee. That’s a huge blow for the Bruins, as Smith averaged 12.6 points and 6.4 rebounds through eight appearances this term, but UCLA still has a lot of talent on its roster.
The Bruins are No. 27 in the latest NCAA NET Rankings and No. 24 in the KenPom rankings. They score 116.0 points per 100 possessions (9th) while yielding 96.1 to their opponents (72nd).
[metabet_core_odds_compare query=”ncaab/ucla” size=”300×250″ site_id=”atsio” css=”float:right; margin-left:10px”]Washington:
- 2-10 ATS in the last 12 games overall
- 2-15 ATS in the last 17 road contests
UCLA:
- 9-2 ATS in the last 11 games overall
- 7-1 ATS in the last eight games against Pac-12
- 5-1 ATS in the last six games against Washington
The Winner Prediction
I was watching Andy Katz yesterday, and he was angry over the AP Top 25 Poll. No UCLA there and the Bruins have another opportunity to prove their worth Saturday on the home court. Therefore, give me the Bruins to win and cover, as I expect them to blow away the hapless Huskies.
Washington has just got routed by USC as a 14.5-point dog. I highly doubt the Huskies’ chances to cover the identical spread against UCLA. They are 1-5 SU and ATS in the last six encounters with the Bruins.
Pick: Take UCLA -14.5 at -110
The Total:
The last six games between Washington and UCLA went in the under, but I’m betting on the over in this one. The Bruins are firing on all cylinders, surpassing an 80-point mark in three straight outings, while the Huskies have allowed more than 90 points in three of their last five showings.
The over is 5-1 in UCLA’s last six tilts overall, and it is 4-1 in Washington’s previous five games at any location. The Bruins prefer down-tempo basketball, but they won’t hesitate to speed up things against the Huskies who average 70.8 possessions per 40 minutes (94th in the nation).
Pick: Go over 140.5 points at -110
