Arizona At UCLA Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

There are several great games on the schedule this coming Saturday, but perhaps none as big as the one that sees the Arizona Wildcats head to Los Angeles to face the UCLA Bruins. The PAC-12 has been one of the strongest conferences in college basketball this season, and these two teams have played a huge role in making it that way. The Bruins are currently ranked #3 in the nation right now, but they are sitting a little off the torrid pace being set by the upstart Wildcats at the top of the conference. Arizona are still a ways down the rankings at #14, and there is still the sense that they may be a little too young to be a legitimate threat, but a win in this one may well see those perceptions start to shift. This is arguably the biggest game of the season for both of these teams, and it is that which makes this the one game that you really have to tune in for ncaa basketball betting lines and watch this coming Saturday afternoon.

Wildcats At Bruins Spread, Free Pick & TV Info

When: Saturday, January 14 at 4 PM EST Where: Pauley Pavilion, LA TV: CBS Live Stream: CBS Sports Network NCAAB Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Arizona Wildcats

One of the biggest knocks on this team is that they have not yet really played a particularly tough schedule. That does not change the fact that this team is unbeaten in conference play, and that they are coming into this game on an impressive 11-game winning streak. They have had a pair of games against ranked opposition, which they have split, the lasts being an Arizona 69-62 loss to Gonzaga, which is not something that can be described as a bad loss. The Wildcats have had some success on the road this season, and are coming into this game with a perfect 4-0 road record. They are also 5-5 SU in their last 10 meetings with UCLA.

Why bet on the UCLA Bruins

The Bruins are another team that has only had 2 games against ranked teams this season, but that fact that one of them was a 97-92 win over Kentucky, who were then the top team in the nation. Their last game against a ranked opponent came at the start of conference play, and was a tight 2-point loss at the hands of the Oregon Ducks, a team that is still unbeaten in conference play. Perhaps more importantly, the Bruins are a perfect 11-0 at home this season, but it can be argued that this will be their toughest challenge so far. A loss here may not drop them too far down the rankings, but it would certainly drop them well off the pace at the top of the PAC-12 conference race.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

This is a tough one to pick, as these two teams have essentially split their meetings right down the middle in recent seasons, both SU and ATS. I am going with the mild upset here, and am taking the Wildcats to win a close one.

Arizona Wildcats 80 UCLA Bruins 78