Arizona vs. UCLA Prediction: Unranked Bruins Look to Upset #5 Wildcats

The historic Pauly Pavilion will host the Arizona Wildcats and UCLA Bruins on Wednesday night. The unranked Bruins are focused on an upset as the fifth-ranked Wildcats come to town. 

Arizona is 23-6 on the season and first place in the Pac-12 at 14-4. It’s never easy to win on the road, but the Wildcats are much better than the Bruins. UCLA is a young team that’s in the process of building for the future. 

There have been more lows than highs for UCLA in 2023-24. The Bruins are 14-15 overall with a 9-9 record in the Pac-12. UCLA has stepped up their game against conference opponents, so we expect them to elevate their game at Pauly Pavilion. 

The opening tip is scheduled for 9:30 PM ET on ESPN. Here, we will break down the matchup and our best bets for Arizona vs. UCLA.

Arizona vs. UCLA Betting Odds for Thursday, March 7th

Arizona is a hefty 8.5-point favorite on the road on Thursday. If this game were played in Arizona, the Wildcats would have been favored by double digits. 

FanDuel Sportsbook has Arizona as a -375 favorite on the moneyline, with UCLA priced at +290. The total is listed at 146.5. 

The Wildcats are the best team against the spread in the Pac-12 at 19-10. UCLA is the worst at 12-15-2. 

Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Sign up for FanDuel and get $150 in bonus bets if you wager $5 on your first bet and win.

Arizona vs. UCLA Preview

Arizona has a lot to play for, with two games left in the regular season. The Wildcats will be in the NCAA Tournament, but they’re competing for a #1 seed. UConn, Houston, and Purdue are projected to get three of the four one-seeds, but the final top nod is up for grabs. 

Arizona is one of the teams in the mix of earning the final #1 seed. Arizona has won with offense, which is why they’re so dominant against the spread. Many teams haven’t been able to keep up with their scoring. 

The Wildcats score the most points per game in the Pac-12 and are in the top three in many other key metrics, such as field goal percentage and three-point shooting. They also don’t turn the ball over, so they beat teams into submission when shots fall. 

Arizona has a lot of momentum coming into Thursday’s game. They beat Oregon by 20 points at home, shooting 61% from the field. They were also 56% from the three-point line, which is very hard to do against any team.

Caleb Love was fantastic for Arizona, scoring 22 points. Oumar Ballo also had his ninth straight double-double. Defenses haven’t had an answer for the big man under the hoop, and UCLA won’t match up well in this category, either. 

UCLA should be competitive in the future, but it’s not their time. They lost their fourth straight game on Saturday against Washington State. UCLA has traditionally owned the Cougars, but they’re not playing well. 

Washington State was the 19th-ranked team in the country, but it wasn’t a respectable showing for UCLA. Dylan Andrews had 21 points for the Bruins, but they couldn’t make big shots when they had open looks. 

UCLA has the worst scoring offense in the Pac-12. They’re also last in offensive efficiency, so it’s remarkable they have a chance to finish the season over .500 in the Pac-12. After the Arizona game on Wednesday, they’ll face Arizona State to conclude the season. 

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Arizona vs. UCLA Prediction and Betting Pick

Arizona’s offense will decide this game. While the Wildcats are on the road, we believe their outstanding scoring will help them cover the 8.5 points. 

When Arizona goes on runs, UCLA should have no answer. When the best-scoring offense faces the worst, the game usually goes in favor of the team that scores. 

Once Arizona adjusts to the hostile road environment, they should cruise to a cover. 

• Arizona Wildcats vs. UCLA Bruins Pick: Arizona -8.5 (-110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

How to Watch Arizona vs.UCLA

• When: Wednesday, March 7th @ 9:30 PM ET

• Where: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA

• TV: ESPN

• Streaming: ESPN+

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