The Marquette Golden Eagles (4-1) stop by Pauley Pavilion Friday to play the UCLA Bruins (4-1) at 9:30 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Marquette-UCLA college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Marquette at UCLA: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:50 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Marquette +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | UCLA -190 (bet $190 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Marquette +5 (-130) | UCLA -5 (+105)
- Over/Under: 136.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Marquette at UCLA: Three things to know
- Marquette enters Friday’s contest having won back-to-back games against fellow Badger State teams. The Golden Eagles beat Wisconsin Green Bay 82-68 in their last game but failed to cover as 20.5-point favorites. They previously upset then-No. 7 Wisconsin 67-65 as 4.5-point underdogs Dec. 4.
- UCLA has won and covered in four straight games following a 73-58 blowout loss at San Diego State as a 3-point favorite in its first game of the year. The Bruins have won three in a row by 20-plus points and held their opponent to 56 or fewer points in each game.
- This is the first Marquette-UCLA meeting since 1964 back when eventual Hall of Fame head coaches Al McGuire and John Wooden were running their respective programs.
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Marquette at UCLA: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
UCLA 71, Marquette 62
Money line (ML)
UCLA (-190) is the right side here but I am not going to risk nearly two times my money on the Bruins playing a quality out of conference opponent like Marquette.
PASS ON THE MONEY LINE.
Against the spread (ATS)
While it’s still unclear how much home court matters in the COVID-19 era, Marquette is playing its first road game against UCLA and the Bruins are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five games as home favorites.
Plus, Marquette is one of the best teams in the nation at getting to the charity stripe (10th in free-throw rate) but UCLA opponents are attempting only 14.8 free throws per game.
Lastly, UCLA returned a lot more production from last year’s team than Marquette. The Bruins had an 89% return in scoring production while the Golden Eagles returned just 33% of their scoring from last season, according to SportsReference.com.
I only lean UCLA -5 (+105) for a half-unit because it is a big number to lay and I have a better handicap on the total.
Over/Under (O/U)
According to Pregame.com, the sharpest side of the market is on the Under in Marquette-UCLA. It’s a Pros vs. Joes situation with half the money coming in on the Under but 65% of the bets placed on the Over. The House has moved the number down from the 139.5-point opener because of the perceived sharp money.
From a basketball perspective, I like the Under because both teams play at a snail’s pace: Marquette is 184th in pace and UCLA is 266th. Also, the Golden Eagles have the best defensive rating in the Big East and Bruins head coach Mick Cronin’s teams are known to have a defensive identity.
GIMME UNDER 136.5 (-110) for 1.5 units because the market is taking the Under.
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