Tag: UCLA Bruins

After six years, Ohio State basketball held its own in the CBS Sports Classic

The Ohio State basketball program held its own against other blue-bloods of college basketball during the history of the CBS Sports Classic

When the CBS Sports Classic was first announced as a three-year run from 2014 through 2016, many asked which of these things don’t belong. The deal with the whole event was to pit some of the most dominant programs in college basketball history against one another in a round robin, three-year tournament.

But many asked why Ohio State was put among blue bloods Kentucky, UCLA, and North Carolina. I mean, the Buckeyes are a football school right, and lack the pedigree of those three dominant programs?

Well, yes, and no.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll continue to say it until we’re blue (but not Carolina or Kentucky blue) in the face. If it weren’t for football, Ohio State might be known as a basketball school.

The Buckeyes only have one national title to their credit, but they have as many Big Ten championships as any team in the conference when adding together regular season and Big Ten Tournament titles. Ohio Sate is also tied for sixth in Final Fours in the history of the sport, and have a slew of NCAA appearances and wins — even some national players of the year to boast about.

So, it should be no surprise then that Ohio State backed up that history with a respectable showing against those three other schools after the CBS Sports Classic was extended to six years, the last of which just ended this past weekend.

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It was an up and down affair to be sure over that time, but with the win over Kentucky on Saturday, OSU finished with a 3-3 record, second only to North Carolina who went 4-2. The Wildcats tied Ohio State with a 3-3 record, while UCLA had the worst showing of the four schools with a 2-4 record over the six years.

Here’s how the Buckeyes fared against each:

Kentucky: OSU went 2-0 (wins in 2015 and 2019)
UCLA: OSU went 1-1 (lost in 2016, won in 2018)
North Carolina: OSU went 0-2 (lost in 2014 and 2017)

And what about Chris Holtmann? He’s done well for himself going 2-1, with the lone loss coming to North Carolina in 2017.

There’s been no news about extending the event for another three years, but it sure was a fun tournament to showcase Ohio State over the last six years. We’ll have to see if CBS liked it enough, and if the four programs believe it fits into their scheduling philosophy going forward.

Not bad for a football school eh?

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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Game Recap: MSU Basketball defeats UCLA 75-62

Michigan State Basketball defeats the UCLA Bruins 75-62 in their final Maui Jim Maui Invitational game. Here is a quick game recap.

Maui wowie, what a game! Michigan State defeates UCLA 75-62 in their final Maui Jim Maui Invitational game. The Spartans pulled away late in the second half. No question that MSU did not meet fan expectations in this particular game and the tournament as a whole.

Here is a quick game recap:

First Half

Michigan State really struggled early on, mostly due to UCLA’s defense. The Bruins played tough defense against the Spartans around the rim. MSU players had extreme difficulty getting into the paint. On the bright side, Marcus Bingham had two stern blocks at the start of the game.

The Bruins held the Spartans captive in terms of pace. UCLA used up all of the shot clock on nearly each and every possession. Furthermore, they focused on transition defense, allowing no easy baskets. MSU struggled at first against this defensive strategy but got back on pace with time. Eventually, the Spartans found their rhythm.

Late in the half, MSU went on a beautiful 10-2 run. Cassius Winston got loose in transition for an off-balance three. He later hit another three to bring it to 24-20. Unfortunately, Michigan State lost a shooter in the corner. On the next play though, Winston got a nice layup off a second chance opportunity.

At the end of the first half, MSU led UCLA 26-23.

Second Half

Tom Izzo changed the starting lineup to start the second half, replacing Aaron Henry with Gabe Brown. Almost immediately, Marcus Bingham blocked his third shot at the rim. On the other end, Gabe Brown is wide open in the corner and wets a three. Then, Rocket Watts played tough defense to force a UCLA shot clock violation. On the next offensive possession, Brown hit yet another three and gave MSU a 36-25 lead.

Michigan State failed to take advantage of UCLA switches but that did not matter. The refs continued to make poor call after poor call but that did not matter. The Spartans were on a mission. Rocket Watts drove to the rim, absorbed contact, and hit the shot.

Winston hit his third three of the game to give MSU a 41-30 lead. Then, Malik Hall had a wonderful couple of possessions. Hall drew a foul for free throws, hit a turnaround elbow jumper, and then drew yet another foul for more free throws on three consecutive possessions.

Rocket Watts hit a smooth step-back and-one shot. With 10 minutes left in the game, MSU pulls away and Winston shows out. Aaron Henry, who was hounded by Izzo all game long, drove and kicked the ball to Tillman for a bucket. UCLA did not give up though, instead they clawed back to single digits, MSU led 61-52.

Malik Hall fouled out of the game with less than five minutes left in the game. I don’t blame Hall though. The refs called fouls on him for simply standing in front of defenders. Finally, Xavier Tillman woke up. Tillman had a humungous block at one end then a nice dunk on the other end.

UCLA was still within striking distance down nine points to MSU. Winston found Tillman for an easy bucket at the rim. Then, Rocket Watts closed out the game for the Spartans. Watts hit an ice-cold three-point shot in transition to put Michigan State out of striking distance. Again, what a game.

Check out some highlights below:

I’m sure there are critical fans out there but please relax. Remember, it’s just November. Tom Izzo is playing a lot of young guys. It will take time for them to get in the full swing of things. For example, Rocket Watts just put up a career-high 12 points. I imagine his numbers continue to trend upwards.

Spartan’s Basketball is back in action against Duke on Dec. 3 at 9:30 P.M. Michigan State will retire Draymond Green’s jersey at this game. Be sure to tune into ESPN to cheer on the Spartans.

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MSU Basketball vs. UCLA: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State Basketball is set to face UCLA at 2:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 26. This comes after a 93-85 victory over Georgia. Michigan State has underperformed in the tournament so far and must vastly improve before their game against Duke on Dec. 3. …

Michigan State Basketball is set to face UCLA at 2:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 26. This comes after a 93-85 victory over Georgia. Michigan State has underperformed in the tournament so far and must vastly improve before their game against Duke on Dec. 3.

Here are three things to watch in this game against the UCLA Bruins:

Xavier Tillman

Should we be concerned over Xavier Tillman’s performance thus far this season? Right now, he’s averaging 11.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. On paper, this is an improvement over last year in every statistical category, but, he just doesn’t look right.

Tillman currently averages 2.4 turnovers and tallied up three in just the game against Georgia. You expect turnovers from a young player like Rocket Watts but not from Tillman. Worst of all, Xavier is making unforced errors.

Michigan State cannot afford for Tillman to continue this play. Yes, his rebound total is impressive night in and night out, but, he must be wiser with the basketball. Also, he must have a stronger presence around the rim. Watch for Tillman’s improvements against UCLA.

MSU’s Forward Rotation

Marcus Bingham got the start against Georgia instead of Kithier. Personally, I back this decision up. Thomas Kithier is not bad, but, he’s not getting the job done. Especially after a rather horrific defensive performance against Virginia Tech.

Bingham looked great out on the floor. Bill Walton is Bingham’s number one fan. I think that Marcus Bingham brings so much energy to the game. Plus, he usually ends the game with at least one steal and a block.

Malik Hall will definitely get more clock as the season progresses. Against Georgia, Hall had an absolutely vicious dunk. Best of all, he did this while MSU was up by nearly 20 points. That’s the sign of someone with killer instinct.

Guard Depth

Michigan State is absolutely brutal without Cassius Winston on the floor. The offense is discombobulated and the perimeter defense is easily to exploit. More often than not, opposing guards blow right by Foster Loyer for easy buckets at the rim. The Spartan’s lack of Guard depth is a serious problem right now.

What can MSU do? Kyle Ahrens is still working towards full health. As I just mentioned, Loyer can be a defensive liability on any given play. Rocket Watts is moving towards high-quality Guard play but still needs another month of development.

The Joshua Langford injury did more damage than anyone could have imagined. Spartan’s Basketball is in a trial by fire situation. We’ll just have to see how they hold up. Tom Izzo is certainly scheming up something for UCLA.

You can catch this game against UCLA at 2:30 P.M. on ESPN2.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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UCLA at USC Trojans odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UCLA Bruins at USC Trojans sports betting odds and lines, with college football picks, tips and best bets.

The UCLA Bruins (4-6) take on the USC Trojans (7-4) in a Pac-12 showdown Saturday of Week 13. Below, we analyze the UCLA-USC odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice for this matchup.

UCLA vs. USC: Three things you need to know

1. UCLA has been awful on the road over the last few seasons, winning just three of its last 20 road contests.

2. USC has been a fantastic home team over the last few years, going 17-3 in its last 20 games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

3. The Under has hit in 10 of the last 13 meetings between UCLA and USC.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

UCLA vs. USC: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Prediction

USC 35, UCLA 21

Moneyline (ML)

USC (-566) opens this game as a monster favorite over its cross-town rival of UCLA (+395). Given how well the Trojans have played at the Coliseum over the last few years, that’s not too surprising. Look for USC to win this Pac-12 matchup on Saturday afternoon.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on USC returns a profit of $1.77.

Against the Spread (ATS)

USC (-13.5, -120) is a two-touchdown favorite over UCLA. The Bruins have one of the worst defenses in college football, allowing nearly 34 points per game. While USC’s offense is still a work in progress, look for the Trojans to have no problem putting up points and covering the spread.

Over/Under (O/U)

The total for this Pac-12 matchup is set at 65.5. While USC should have no problem scoring a ton of points in this contest, the Trojans would likely need to score in the 40s for the Over to hit. That seems somewhat unlikely given the youth on offense. Take the UNDER (-110) in this contest.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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How to Watch UCLA vs. Utah, NCAA Football Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch UCLA vs. Utah Live Online.

It’s been an up and down season for UCLA, so it leaves many to wonder, which team will show up on Saturday against No. 8 Utah? Will it be the one that lost the first three games of the season or the one that comes in having won three straight? A victory would shoot UCLA (4-5, 4-2) into a tie with Utah (8-1, 5-1) in the Pac-12 South standings while securing the tiebreaker between the teams.

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UCLA vs. Utah

  • When: Saturday, November 16
  • Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: FOX
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

This matchup will pit the conference’s best defense against its hottest offense. Since Pac-12 play started, the Bruins lead the conference in points per game (37), rushing yards per game (217.2) and first downs per game (25.2). The Utes defense leads the Pac-12 in points allowed per game (13.5), rushing yards allowed per game (51.5) and first downs allowed per game (14.2).

UCLA was discounted after opening its season with losses to Cincinnati, San Diego State, and Oklahoma, however, a 67-63 win against Washington State on Sept. 21 turned its whole season around. The Bruins beat Colorado, 31-14, on Nov. 2 after outscoring the Buffaloes 17-0 in the first quarter. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson went 21-for-28 with 226 yards and two touchdowns, along with one interception. Joshua Kelley also ran for 126 yards on 23 carries.

For the Utes, it’s all about drowning out the noise and taking things one game at a time. The team had a bye last week after a 33-28 win vs. Washington on Nov. 2. Quarterback Tyler Huntley went 19-for-24 with 284 yards and one touchdown. Zack Moss ran for 100 yards and nine different receivers had at least one catch.

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