Wisconsin basketball (15-3, 5-2 Big Ten) returns to the hardwood on Tuesday night for its second consecutive road matchup, this against the UCLA Bruins (12-6, 3-4 Big Ten).
The Badgers enter the contest after an impressive 84-69 win over the USC Trojans on Saturday. That result marked the fifth straight Big Ten win and the seventh straight triumph overall for Greg Gard’s team dating back to Dec. 14.
John Blackwell (28 points, five rebounds, two steals), Max Klesmit (18 points, four assists, two steals), Nolan Winter (13 points, five rebounds, three assists) and Kamari McGee (10 points, four assists, two steals) helped UW morph a three-point affair into a 15-point win during a late-game 29-17 scoring spurt.
The Bruins, meanwhile, enter Tuesday after a crucial 94-70 win over Iowa on Jan. 17. The win broke a four-game losing streak to Big Ten opponents and improved UCLA’s conference record to 3-4 on the season. The Bruins did post wins over No. 15 Oregon, Gonzaga and Arizona this season, but they are now just 4-6 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games this season.
The Bruins are led by junior forward Tyler Bilodeau in scoring this season (14.6 points per game), but do not boast much offensive firepower anywhere else in the starting unit.
The tip is set for 9:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast exclusively on Peacock. Here are the betting odds and a full preview of how the Badgers and Bruins match up.
Wisconsin vs. UCLA game odds
All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.
- Point spread: UCLA favored by 3 1/2
- Money line: UCLA minus-165, Wisconsin plus-135
- Over-under: 141 1/2
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Statistical Preview
KenPom:
- Wisconsin: No. 21 overall (No. 12 offense, No. 46 defense)
- UCLA: No. 31 overall (No. 74 offense, No. 12 defense)
ESPN BPI:
- Wisconsin: No. 25 overall (14.9) — No. 6 in the Big Ten
- UCLA: No. 32 overall (13.4) — No. 8 in the Big Ten
2024-25 Averages:
- Wisconsin: 82.4 points per game (47.0% shooting, 34.6% from 3), 70.3 points allowed per game (41.5% shooting allowed, 31.1% from 3)
- UCLA: 75.7 points per game (46.8% shooting, 33.3% from 3), 63.7 points allowed per game (42.2% shooting allowed, 32.1% from 3)
ESPN Matchup Predictor:
- UCLA 57.0% chance to win, Wisconsin 43.0%
Wisconsin Key Players
- G John Blackwell (16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists on 49.5% shooting)
- G Max Klesmit (10.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2,9 assists on 34.2% shooting)
- Wing John Tonje (17.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists on 44.8% shooting)
- C Steven Crowl (10.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists on 55.4% shooting)
- F Nolan Winter (10.7 points, 6.1 rebounds on 61.3% shooting)
UCLA Key Players
- G Skyy Clark (6.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists on 44.0% shooting)
- G Sebastian Mack (9.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists on 41.7% shooting)
- G Kobe Johnson (8.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists on 45.4% shooting)
- F Tyler Bilodeau (14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds on 50.5% shooting)
- F Eric Dailey Jr. (12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds on 52.8 shooting)
Wisconsin vs. UCLA prediction, pick
UCLA’s defense is no joke, and the Bruins have beaten three quality teams this season. Wisconsin, however, enters Tuesday’s bout with one of the most lethal offensive units in the country. All five scorers in UW’s starting five score at least 10 points per game, and the Badgers share the ball for roughly 15 assists per contest.
That well-rounded offensive attack, coupled with the team’s momentum from its current seven-game win streak, give it a great chance to exit UCLA with a win. If the game gets tight late, UW can lean on its nation-leading free throw percentage to counteract the Bruins’ stout defensive lineup.
Wisconsin’s two seven-footers should also lean on their size advantage against a much smaller UCLA front court on Tuesday. Given those trends and what the Badgers can present offensively, UW will win this game in tight fashion.
Prediction: Wisconsin 75, UCLA 71
Wisconsin vs. UCLA channel, start time, streaming
Wisconsin-UCLA starts at 9:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on exclusively on Peacock.
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