Updated BetMGM betting odds for UCLA vs. Alabama in Sweet 16

Alabama and UCLA are set to face off in the Sweet 16 tonight. BetMGM has put together betting lines that point to Alabama being victorious.

The No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide are all set to face off against No. 11 UCLA in the Sweet 16, with the winner facing either No. 1 Michigan or No. 4 Florida State.

BetMGM has put together odds for tonight’s matchup, which favors Alabama.

Odds courtesy of BetMGM, The King of Sportsbooks.

Here are how the lines are currently set:

Spread:

Alabama: -7 (-110)

UCLA: +7 (-110)

Moneyline:

Alabama: -300

UCLA: +240

Over/under:

144.5 (-110)

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

MSU-UCLA most watched First Four matchup in NCAA Tournament history

If the committee primarily put the Spartans in the First Four due to raising TV ratings, then their wish came true.

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If the committee primarily put the Spartans in the First Four due to raising TV ratings, then their wish came true.

Despite the game not tipping off until after 10 p.m. ET on Thursday night, the matchup between Michigan State and UCLA was the most-watched First Four game in NCAA Tournament history. The First Four began in 2011.

Many believed — and the metrics also supported — that Michigan State shouldn’t have been in the First Four and that the committee placed them in that game against UCLA to simply boost TV ratings. That argument is a bit harder to make since the Spartans blew a 14-point lead and lost to the Bruins, but the TV numbers support the case as well.

According to Tony Paul of The Detroit News, Michigan State-UCLA drew 3.3 million viewers at its peak and overall there 7.6 million viewers for the four First Four games.

Click here to read the rest of the story from Paul.

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Michigan State Basketball vs. UCLA: Where to Watch, Odds, Game Preview & Prediction

Check out the game details, keys to the match-up, and my game prediction in this Michigan State-UCLA preview.

It’s time to dance.

Michigan State will help tip off the 2021 NCAA Tournament on Thursday night in a First Four match-up against UCLA. The winner will move on to face No. 6 seed BYU in the first round on Saturday.

Michigan State enters this match-up with wins in five of their last eight games, while UCLA has lost four straight to backdoor their way into the big dance. Which of these blue blood programs will move on to the next round and which will head home?

Let’s take a look at this match-up, with game details, things to watch, and last but not least my prediction for this game.

BetMGM: Michigan State opens as slim favorites over UCLA in NCAA Tournament opener

MSU is 15-12 on the season, and UCLA is 17-9. The Bruins finished fourth in the Pac-12 this season, while the Spartans finished ninth.

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Michigan State will open the NCAA Tournament in one of the “First Four” play-in games, and if things go as the Vegas experts suspect then they’ll be playing a second game in the big dance as well.

The Spartans have opened as a 1.5-point favorite over UCLA in Thursday’s play-in game, according to BetMGM, The King of Sportsbooks. This will be only the second time in the last 11 games that the Spartans are favored.

Michigan State is 15-12 on the season, and UCLA is 17-9. The Bruins finished fourth in the Pac-12 this season, while the Spartans finished ninth.

Looking for some action on this game or others? Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM in CO, IN, NJ, TN, and WV. New Customer Offer: Risk-free first bet up to $500! Terms and conditions apply. Visit BetMGM and bet now! 

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Get to know UCLA: How the Spartans stack up with the Bruins

Let’s take a quick look at the UCLA and how the Spartans stack up with the Bruins in this NCAA Tournament opening round match-up.

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Michigan State’s lengthy NCAA Tournament streak is still alive.

The Spartans were selected to participate in the NCAA Tournament for a 23rd consecutive season — which is now the second-longest active streak. However, this year’s tournament will mark a first for the Spartans as they will start out in a “First Four” play-in game against UCLA.

Michigan State will play UCLA on Thursday evening in a battle of No. 11 seeds, with the winner moving on to face to No. 6 BYU. There will be plenty of pregame coverage in the coming days, but let’s start off with getting to know the Bruins and assessing this match-up.

Three things we learned from Ohio State basketball’s win over UCLA

Ohio State basketball got a big win against UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. Here are three things we learned watching the game.

It was a double-dip Saturday on Ohio State’s two revenue-producing sports. First, the football team took care of business against the Northwestern Wildcats, winning its fourth-straight Big Ten championship. After that though, the basketball team took to the hardcourt to take on UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic.

Much like the game on the gridiron in football, it too was a bruising, Donnybrook that the Buckeyes were able to tough out and win. Unlike what we saw in Indianapolis, the hoops team was not rescued by Trey Sermon.

It was a good bounce back after the loss at Purdue on Wednesday, and there are definitely some things to take from the victory. Here are three things we observed from the 77-70 win by Ohio State.

NEXT … Time to believe in Zed Key

How to Watch North Carolina vs. UCLA, NCAA Basketball Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch North Carolina vs. UCLA Live Online.

Both UNC and UCLA have had their fair share of problems to begin the season. However, both are hoping that a win on Saturday will start to move them in the right direction.

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North Carolina vs. UCLA

  • When: Saturday, December 21
  • Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: CBS
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

The Tar Heels (6-5) were unable to come away with a victory to Gonzaga on Wednesday in a 94-81 loss. It marked the team’s fourth straight loss. A trio of players scored in double digits, including forward Garrison Brooks, who scored a team-high 16 points and also had six rebounds. UNC shot 45.7 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Bulldogs 35-30.

With news coming out this week that freshman guard Cole Anthony will miss the next four to six weeks after undergoing surgery on a partially torn meniscus, it has become obvious that he’s left a void in UNC’s starting lineup. Anthony, a potential top-five pick in the NBA draft, was averaging 19.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists and had back-to-back double-doubles to start his career against Notre Dame and UNC Wilmington.

UCLA lost 75-61 on the road to Notre Dame last Saturday, moving the Bruins record to 7-4 on the season. UCLA shot just 34.9 percent from the field but did go 7-for-16 from beyond the arc. UCLA also struggled from the free throw line, going just 10-for-20. Chris Smith was the only player to score in double digits, collecting 10 points and five rebounds.

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San Jose State at UCLA: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

San Jose State at UCLA: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Spartans looking to regain form against formidable foes Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire Prioleau has tinkered with his lineups, but can he find the right formula? …

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San Jose State at UCLA: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More


Spartans looking to regain form against formidable foes


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Prioleau has tinkered with his lineups, but can he find the right formula?

WHO: San Jose State (3-4, 0-0 MWC) at ULCA (5-3, 0-0 Pac-12)

WHEN: Sunday, December 1 — 5:00 P.M. PT / 6:00 P.M. MT

WHERE: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA

WATCH: Pac-12 Network (cable subscription required); Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: UCLA leads the series, 8-1

ODDS: UCLA -17, per KenPom

PREVIEW: San Jose State will be looking for an upset victory on Sunday night as they travel down to Pauley Pavilion to do battle with UCLA.

The Spartans come into the game on the heels of two disappointing losses to Portland State and Oregon State. Things were looking up for Jean Prioleau’s team after beating Hofstra in the opener and snagging another early win over a Grambling State squad that could win the SWAC.

But the other shoe dropped hard, with SJSU losing their last two games by a combined 50 points.

This drop in production comes at an unideal time for a team that plays its next four games against UCLA, Utah State, San Diego State, and Stanford. In fact, the Bruins might be the easiest opponent of the Spartans’ upcoming slate.

The Bruins also find themselves in the midst of a slide. After starting the year at 4-0, UCLA has lost three of its last four. They picked up a cheap win over Chaminade, the host of the Maui Invitational, but otherwise dropped games against Hofstra, BYU, and Michigan State.

Mick Cronin’s side saw early success going inside to big man Jalen Hill, but the redshirt sophomore has gone quiet in the past two games. Hill scored in single digits against both the Cougars and the Spartans after a 24-point explosion against Hofstra.

Nobody else on the Bruins has consistently stepped up when Hill has struggled.

Prince Ali, Tyger Campbell, and Cody Riley are all capable options, but none of them appear to playing at a level to truly take over a game as the primary scorer. UCLA was able to skate through their first four games, but their lack of scoring punch outside of hill has exposed a weakness that other teams can and should exploit.

That means that the San Jose State frontcourt will have their work cut out for them on Sunday evening.

Prioleau ran out a new starting lineup for the first time against the Beavers on Wednesday, starting former Wake Forest big man Samuel Japhet-Mathias. The transfer center responded by scoring a team-leading 10 points. Omari Moore also started in place Seneca Knight but had little impact in just 15 minutes on the floor.

Knight and fellow double-digit scorer Richard Washington Jr. combined to shoot just 2-for-15 off the bench. They have been the Spartans’ leading scorers over the first handful of games, but were nowhere to be found in Las Vegas on Wednesday.

Shooting woes also followed Christian Anigwe, who shot 1-for-8 against Oregon State. The sophomore forward did secure 14 rebounds and block three shots, though.

But those issues are just about the shots they actually get off. Nearly a quarter of the Spartans’ possessions never make it that far, instead ending in a turnover. To put that in context, San Jose State ranks 308th in turnover rate, per KenPom.

There’s a lot that Jean Prioleau needs to get cleaned up if SJSU stands a chance at UCLA. But on the bright side for the Spartans, they’re catching the Bruins on a cold streak.

Prediction: UCLA 81, San Jose State 63

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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Michigan State Men’s Basketball vs. UCLA: Where to watch, listen, stream

MSU Men’s Basketball will face off against UCLA on Wednesday, November 27th. Here is what you need to know to follow the game.

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Michigan State Men’s Basketball narrowly escaped the second-half onslaught unleashed by Anthony Edwards and the Georgia Bulldogs in their second game of the Maui Invitational today. Tomorrow, they will face UCLA. Here’s everything you need to know to watch, listen, or stream the game.

Match-up: Michigan State (4-2) vs. UCLA (5-2)

Location: Lahaina Civic Center, Maui, Hawaii

Game time: 2:30 p.m. ET, Wednesday, Nov. 27

TV: ESPN2

ESPN2 analysts are scheduled to be Dan Shulman (play-by-play) and Jay Bilas (analyst).

On DirecTV, ESPN2 is channel 209. On Dish, ESPN2 is channel 143.

Online live stream:  Watch ESPN

Online radio broadcast:  TuneIn

Radio: Complete list of Michigan State radio affiliates.

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UCLA runs past cold-shooting Rebels, 71-54

Game Recap: UCLA 71, UNLV 54 Rebels suffer their third consecutive loss Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV goes cold, UCLA stays hot Well, this one was never in danger of going to overtime. It was another rough night for the Runnin’ …

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Game Recap: UCLA 71, UNLV 54


Rebels suffer their third consecutive loss


Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV goes cold, UCLA stays hot

Well, this one was never in danger of going to overtime.

It was another rough night for the Runnin’ Rebels on Friday, as the team fell to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, 71-54. The Bruins jumped out to an early lead and never truly looked back as they moved to 6-0 in the all-time series between the two schools.

The Bruins (3-0, 0-0 Pac-12) were paced by junior Chris Smith, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half and helped UCLA put their opponents at arm’s reach. Smith also finished with eight rebounds, which tied for the team lead with Jalen Hill. Touted Bruins freshmen Tyger Campbell and Jaime Jaquez combined to score 23 points. Prince Ali had ten points in the second half and finished with 14.

For the second consecutive game, Donnie Tillman, Amauri Hardy, and Elijah Mitrou-Long all scored in double figures. Tillman led the charge with a season-high 18 points and seven rebounds. Hardy and Mitrou-Long each added 13, with Bryce Hamilton scoring ten.

And that’s it for UNLV. Only four players scored for the Rebels.

Chiekh Mbacke Diong found other ways to contribute, pulling down seven rebounds and recording UNLV’s only two blocked shots. But Jonah Antonio was ineffective in the first half and didn’t play during the second. Nick Blair and Cheickna Dembele combined for 25 minutes off the bench but registered a grand total of zero points (on zero shots), one rebound, two turnovers, and three fouls.

Suffice it to say that TJ Otzelberger still hasn’t found the recipe for top-tier success—though the Rebels (1-3, 0-0 MWC) have shown some signs of promise even in their losses. Hardy is a volume shooter and will be among the top scorers in the Mountain West, but he hasn’t been very efficient. Tillman has shown flashes of brilliance, but he’s also had some frustrating turnovers and foul problems.

This game brought two of the Rebels’ biggest issues to light: a lack of depth and poor execution. Having four players score in double figures is nice, but having zero points from the rest of the team is less than ideal. And the Rebels again shot under 40% from the field for the second time this season.

Both are problems that they need to fix quickly.

UCLA, on the other hand, looked like a team starting to gel under first-year head coach Mick Cronin. The Bruins remain undefeated and have improved in each game of the early season. If Tyger Campbell continues his star rise while the team’s veterans pour in solid performances night in and night out, they could easily hear their name called on Selection Sunday.

UP NEXT FOR UNLV: The Rebels will host the Wildcats of Abilene Christian (1-1, 0-0 Southland) at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. The game is part of the Southwestern Showdown presented by Engage Telehealth. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 P.M. Mountain Time.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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