Michigan Wolverines vs UCLA Bruins NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/7/25
Looking to win big? The Wolverines and Bruins face off at 10:00 ET on PEAC. The Bruins are hosting the game at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, CA. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 141.5 points, and UCLA is favored by -3.5 to win at home against Michigan.
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES VS UCLA BRUINS BETTING PICK
The Pick: UCLA Bruins -3.5
This game will be played at Pauley Pavilion at 10:00 ET on Tuesday, January 7th.
WHY BET THE UCLA BRUINS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-71 in favor of the Bruins.
- Not only will UCLA pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 141.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.
Are the Wolverines Ready for a Win at Los Angeles?
Michigan improved to 11-3 on the season with an 85-74 road win over USC on Saturday. The Wolverines entered the game as -5.5 favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 159 exceeded the O/U line of 151.5.
Michigan led 42-38 at halftime and outscored USC 43-36 in the second half to secure the win.
Michigan’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 85 points with a field goal percentage of 52.7%. They were particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 41.7% of their threes, and their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 61.8%. At the free-throw line, they connected on 81% of their attempts.
Danny Wolf led the way with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 75% from the field and 66.7% from three. Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates III each added 19 points, with Yates hitting 50% from deep. Tre Donaldson and Nimari Burnett also contributed 16 points, with Donaldson knocking down 4 of 6 threes.
Michigan’s defense gave up 74 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 43% from the field, hitting 27 of 62 shots. Inside the arc, they allowed 21 of 44 shooting, a 47% success rate.
From three-point range, Michigan’s defense held their opponents to 6 of 18 shooting, or 33%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 22 times, where they made 14, shooting 63%. Michigan allowed 12 offensive rebounds.
Do the Bruins Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?
UCLA’s season record dropped to 11-3 after a 66-58 loss to Nebraska on Saturday. The Bruins, who were +3 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread in this road matchup.
After a 24-24 tie at halftime, UCLA allowed 42 points in the 2nd half while scoring 34. The game’s total points (124) fell short of the 133.5 O/U line.
UCLA’s offense struggled in their last game, scoring just 58 points with a field goal percentage of 38.6%. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.1%, largely due to their poor three-point shooting, hitting only 4 of 28 attempts (14.3%).
Inside the arc, the Bruins were much more efficient, shooting 62.1% on two-point attempts. Tyler Bilodeau contributed 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting, while Brice Williams led the team with 16 points, despite shooting just 2 of 12 overall.
UCLA’s defense held their opponent to just 66 points, with the Bruins allowing a 32% shooting performance overall. The opposing team managed to hit only 17 of their 52 field goal attempts.
From beyond the arc, UCLA’s defense limited their opponent to 7 made threes on 25 attempts, a 28% shooting rate. The Bruins also sent them to the line 29 times, where they converted 25 free throws.