The Denver Pioneers (8-2) and No. 18 UCLA Bruins (7-2) meet Saturday in Los Angeles. Tip-off at Pauley Pavilion will be at 3 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Denver vs. UCLA odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Denver is coming off an 87-85 overtime loss at Sacramento State Wednesday. The loss, in a game that featured 20 ties and lead changes, snapped a 6-game winning streak, the program’s longest since 2016. Junior G Tommy Bruner had 26 points against Sacramento State; he has logged 66 points over the team’s last 3 games.
The Bruins lost back-to-back games Nov. 18 (to No. 17 Illinois) and Nov. 20 (to No. 12 Baylor), but they have responded with 4-straight wins since. UCLA is 6-0 at home this season and 20-1 at Pauley Pavilion over the last 2 seasons.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
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Denver at UCLA odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:20 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Denver +1400 (bet $100 to win $1400) | UCLA -9000 (bet $9,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Denver +26.5 (-110) | UCLA -26.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 146.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Denver at UCLA picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 85, Denver 58
Moneyline
No interest in either side: PASS.
Against the spread
UCLA is 4-2 ATS when favored by 10 points or more. But 3 of those wins were early in the season. Saturday’s tag seems to be in the right neighborhood but is a high bar to clear. PASS.
Over/Under
The Over is a combined 14-4 between these 2. And — with some shooting regression due especially for Denver — that rate is overcooked.
With the Pioneers on the back half of 2 in a row in California, and playing their 4th road contest in their last 5 games, look for some recession to their numbers. The Bruins have road games against 2 ranked foes (Maryland, Kentucky) next week and may be more content to play out the 2nd half in a slower pace.
Last year’s UCLA team played 4 straight Overs to start the season, and then the Bruins went on a stretch of 5 straight Unders as they approached the meat of their Pac-12 season.
BACK THE UNDER 146.5 (-110).
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