The No.14 UCLA Bruins (8-2) and No. 17 Maryland Terrapins (8-2) meet Wednesday at Xfinity Center in College Park. Tip-off in the top-20 tussle is slated for 9 p.m. ET (FS1). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UCLA vs. Maryland odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Rankings courtesy of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
UCLA has lost back-to-back games — and 3 of its last 4 — against the spread (ATS), but the Bruins tote a 5-game win streak into this matchup. Since losing to current-No. 11 Baylor on Nov. 20, UCLA has gone 5-0 with an average point differential of 22.8.
The Terrapins opened with 8 straight wins but have since lost 2 in a row. The most recent of those twin setbacks was a 56-53 loss on a neutral floor vs. current-No. 7 Tennessee Sunday, although the Terps registered an ATS win when rated as 5.5-point underdogs. Defensive-minded Maryland — 28th in the nation with 60.3 points allowed per game — held the Volunteers to a 28.8% mark from the floor.
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UCLA at Maryland odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:50 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: UCLA +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Maryland -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): UCLA +1.5 (-110) | Maryland -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 142.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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UCLA at Maryland picks and predictions
Prediction
Maryland 71, UCLA 66
Moneyline
There is enough leverage on the home side ATS play to leave the moneyline alone. More conservative bettors may want to split action between MARYLAND (-120) and the below ATS play as a hedge against a 1-point win.
Against the spread
The Terrapins are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 home games and they are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against foes playing .600 or better ball.
Maryland is a big and experienced team, and it is one a bit more battle-tested this season than its visitors from Los Angeles. Across 5 Quad 1 games, the Terps are 4-1 ATS, while the Bruins are 1-3 ATS in 4 such contests. One intersection exists in those groups of games: both sides have played the Illinois Fighting Illini. UM defeated Illinois 71-66 (Dec. 2); UCLA lost to the Illini 79-70 (Nov. 18).
Look for Maryland to leverage a big advantage in getting to the free throw line and for some distance shooting regression hurting the road five and helping the Terps.
BACK MARYLAND -1.5 (-110).
Over/Under
Plenty of crisscrossing trends here, but both teams can defend at high levels and I would expect a slightly slower pace than what’s been played out by each side so far.
As priced, the UNDER 142.5 (-115) is worth a partial-unit play.
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