The Pac-12 can get really muddled if the UCLA Bruins pick up a key road win this week. The Arizona Wildcats are hoping that doesn’t happen. Arizona sits atop the conference but UCLA is one of several teams on its heels as the teams prepare to face off in Tucson.
The Wildcats actually dropped out of the national rankings after a slow start to the season but have bounced back, and the perennial power is now looking like a team primed for a deep March Madness run. A Pac-12 crown will strengthen Arizona’s argument for a high seed and it will be favored to knock off the Bruins in this one.
UCLA could really use the upset win but it will be a tough task on the road.
At 10 p.m. ET, tune into ESPN for live television coverage of this NCAA basketball game on Thursday, February 8, 2018, at the McKale Center.
We'll have NCAA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the college basketball Thursday schedule.
Odds Analysis
UCLA is 16-7 straight up and 11-12 against the spread. The Bruins have covered in two of five road games on the season. UCLA is 3-3 against the spread as the underdog on the year.
Arizona is 19-5 straight up and 8-15-1 against the spread. The Wildcats have gone just 3-8-1 against the spread at home this season and hope to buck that trend in this one. Arizona is an ugly 7-15-1 against the underdog, which is certainly something to keep in mind when the spread is released.
Key Stat
Three. That’s how many games in a row UCLA has won coming into this matchup against the Wildcats. The Bruins are right on the bubble of making the NCAA tournament right now so a win against a ranked team like Arizona would be huge.
The McKale Center is a tough place to play so the Bruins will have their work cut out for them, but at least they’ll enter this contest with momentum. UCLA is 1-1 against ranked teams this season, having lost to No. 25 Cincinnati in mid December but defeated No. 7 Kentucky two games later.
The Bruins have conference record of 7-4 and lost three straight before this current winning streak. A strong finish over these last seven games is critical and a road win of this caliber would be a huge boost.
Player To Watch
Deandre Ayton — Arizona’s freshman forward is averaging a double-double this season with 19.7 points and 10.8 rebounds a game. He had 25 points and 11 rebounds in the Wildcats’ blowout win over Washington State on January 31st and finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to Washington on Saturday.
In the game against Washington State, he finished and impressive 11-of-12 from the field. The 7-foot-1 budding star shooting 63.8 percent from the field on the season.
Ayton is making the most of what will likely be his only season in college basketball before heading off for the NBA. Alongside junior guard Allonzo Trier, who is putting up 19.9 points per game, he leads a Wildcats’ offense that is averaging 82.2 points per game.
Free NCAA Men’s Basketball ATS Picks
UCLA is playing some good ball and has talent, so it has the capability to keep this one close. The Wildcats are usually very tough at home but have had their share of problems in Tucson this season.
The Pac-12 will truly be up for grabs if the Bruins can sneak away with an upset, but don’t count on that happening. Choose Arizona to win this game, although UCLA could be the right choice against the spread depending on where the oddsmakers project it.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Odds: Arizona 84, UCLA 81
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