UCLA vs. Arizona Picks, Predictions, Odds

The UCLA Bruins are currently unbeaten in Pac-12 play with an 8-0 mark against conference opponents to date. They have the potential to run the table in conference action, but they will face their toughest test of the season this weekend.

UCLA will go on the road to face the Arizona Wildcats, and the Wildcats are the next best team in the PAC 12. They are currently ranked 17th nationally according to Ken Pomeroy, while no other PAC 12 team is ranked in the top 45.

These teams will meet on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. ET on ABC from the McKale Center in Tucson, Arizona.

UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats Betting Prediction

It's been two months since UCLA last lost a game. The Bruins fell to both Illinois and Baylor in Las Vegas in the span of three days during an early season tournament, but they haven't been defeated since that point.

However, the Fighting Illini and Bears are both currently ranked in the Top 30 by Pomeroy, while the Bruins' best win came over a 12-6 Kentucky team that is ranked 33rd by the same metric. That bodes well for an Arizona squad that already has wins over Top 30 teams like San Diego State, Indiana, Creighton, and Tennessee this season.

Score Prediction: Arizona 82, UCLA 77

Updated on 04/25/2024

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UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats Betting Odds

UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats Betting Resources

Date: Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023
TV-Time: ABC, 2:00 p.m. ET
Venue: McKale Center
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Matchup
Expert Picks

Pac-12 Championship Odds

UCLA Bruins vs. Arizona Wildcats Betting Stats

UCLA Bruins
SU: 17-2
ATS: 12-7
O/U: 9-10
PPG: 76.6
OPPG: 59.9

Arizona Wildcats
SU: 16-3
ATS: 9-10
O/U: 9-10
PPG: 84.6
OPPG: 73.0

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

UCLA Bruins Betting Analysis

Mick Cronin has UCLA looking like a national title contender this season. The Bruins are doing it their own way as they have bucked the three-point trend and shoot threes at one of the lowest clips in the country, yet they have the 12th most efficient offense in the country per Pomeroy.

Senior Jaime Jaquez has blossomed into one of the top players in the country during his time at UCLA. Jaquez is averaging 16.3 PPG and 7.0 RPG, and he is a Naismith Award contender. He is making over 50% of his field goals, and he is a very good defender to boot. Jaquez sets the tone for a team that routinely takes good shots and does not turn the ball over often .

Jaylen Clark is the second leading scorer and rebounder on UCLA behind Jaquez. Clark is averaging 14.0 PPG and 6.8 RPG, and he is also making at least 50% of his field goals. He gets to the free throw line a little more than Jaquez, but this team does not go to the charity stripe often at all.

The only two players that take a lot of threes on UCLA are guards Tyger Campbell and David Singleton. Campbell leads the team with 4.5 APG and is making 35.3% of his triples, while Singleton is the top perimeter shooter and is knocking down 45.6% of his treys.

Arizona Wildcats Betting Analysis

The Wildcats are led by two big men in Azuolas Tubelis and Oumar Ballo. Both are juniors with plenty of experience at this level, and they can take over in the low post against smaller opponents. That's something that UCLA lacks as Jaquez is the tallest starter on the team at 6'7.

Tubelis and Ballo are both close to averaging double-doubles. Tubelis is averaging 20.2 PPG and 9.4 RPG, and he is knocking down 57% of his field goals and 45% of his three-pointers. Meanwhile, Ballo is averaging 16.1 PPG and 9.0 RPG as a seven-foot center. He is one of the most efficient scorers in the country, making 65.2% of his field goals, but he struggles mightily from the free throw line and is making just 57% of his freebies.

Kerr Kriisa has played a big role in making this a very efficient offense too, averaging 6.0 APG and 10.9 PPG as the third leading scorer on the team. Courtney Ramey and Pelle Larsson are both averaging at least 10 PPG for Arizona too.

As long as the guards don't turn the ball over and can get it to the big men, Arizona is in good position to win this game due to the size advantage the Wildcats possess over the Bruins.