UCLA Bruins vs. Colorado Buffaloes Picks, Predictions, Odds

The UCLA Bruins can clinch at least a share of the Pac-12 regular season title with a win over the Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday afternoon. UCLA is 15-2 in conference play, and the Bruins are two games ahead of the Arizona Wildcats with three games left to play. Colorado does have three Quad 1 wins with neutral site victories over Tennessee and Texas A&M and a road win over Arizona State. This will be the Buffaloes' first home game against a Quad 1 opponent this season though.

On Sunday, February 26, 2023, the UCLA Bruins will go on the road to take on the Colorado Buffaloes. This game will tip off at 4 p.m. ET on CBS from the CU Events Center in Boulder, Colorado.

The Buffaloes are 9-2 SU in their last 11 home games. (Getty)

UCLA Bruins vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Prediction

When these teams squared off in Los Angeles back on January 14, the Colorado Buffaloes took a small lead into halftime against the UCLA Bruins. Colorado extended that lead to nine points with just over 10 minutes left to play, but the Bruins roared back by outscoring the Buffaloes 33-10 over the last 10 minutes and change to win and cover the spread in one of the worst bad beats of the season. That will give Colorado confidence in the rematch, and the Buffs will keep it within the number this time.

Score Prediction: UCLA 67, Colorado 64
Best Bet: Colorado +6.5 (-110)

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UCLA Bruins vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Odds

UCLA Bruins vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Resources

Date: Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023
TV-Time: CBS, 4:00 p.m. ET
Venue: CU Events Center
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Matchup
Expert Picks

Pac-12 Championship Odds

UCLA Bruins vs. Colorado Buffaloes Betting Stats

UCLA Bruins
SU: 24-4
ATS: 16-12
O/U: 13-15
PPG: 74.2
OPPG: 59.8

Colorado Buffaloes
SU: 15-14
ATS: 12-18
O/U: 13-16
PPG: 70.4
OPPG: 66.7

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

Updated on 03/28/2024
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UCLA Bruins Betting Analysis

Currently, the No. 4 UCLA Bruins look set to earn one of the four coveted No. 1 seeds for March Madness. UCLA is 24-4 without a single bad loss on its resume, and the Bruins' only two conference losses were on the road against Arizona and USC. Mick Cronin has UCLA playing the second-best defense in the country per Ken Pomeroy, and the Bruins are one of the top offenses in the nation too.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is set to earn his third straight All-PAC 12 nomination this season. Jaquez has made the most of his time in college, and he has developed into a solid scorer too. He leads the Bruins with 17.0 PPG and 8.1 RPG despite being a guard, and he will earn all-defensive honors for the third consecutive campaign. Jaquez is sinking 48.8% of his field goals and 35.6% of his three-point field goals.

Jaylen Clark has posted similar numbers, but he has been even better on defense. Clark leads the Bruins with 2.6 SPG, and he ranks seventh nationally in steal rate. Additionally, he is UCLA's second leading scorer with 13.1 PPG and second leading rebounder too at 6.3 RPG. Clark seems likely to take the mantle from Jaquez next season, and he is making 48.4% of his shots and 35.3% of his threes.

The Bruins are 10-2 in their last 12 road games. (Getty)

Colorado Bruins Betting Analysis

Tristan da Silva and K.J. Simpson are the top two players for Colorado. Da Silva leads the team with 16.1 PPG and has been a very efficient scorer. The big man is knocking down 50.9% of his field goals and 39.8% of his threes. Meanwhile, Simpson is more of the type that scores in bunches but isn't real efficient. Simpson is averaging 15.9 PPG while making just 40% of his field goals and 28.2% of his threes.

Unfortunately, Colorado probably won't have one of its elite players for the rest of the season. J'Vonne Hadley leads the team with 5.9 RPG as a 6'6 guard, and he is the third leading scorer with 8.0 PPG. Hadley reportedly broke his hand in the first two minutes of an eventual win over California, and he has not suited up over the last three weeks as a result of the injury.

The Buffaloes have the 22nd best defense in the country according to Pomeroy. Colorado does essentially everything well on this side of the ball. Lawson Lovering has the size to make things difficult as a 7'1 center, and Nique Clifford has been a crafty defender too. This defense was superb for the first 30 minutes against UCLA in the first meeting between these teams, and that is the kind of performance that Colorado needs to replicate.