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The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Oregon UCLA prediction and pick.
The UCLA Bruins finally showed up this past Thursday. They played several games before Dec. 1, but the team which trounced Stanford in Maples Pavilion is the team most people expected to appear this season. That team had not been in evidence in November, when UCLA lost to Illinois and Baylor and did not win a high-end game. To be clear, Stanford is not a high-end opponent and not an especially great win on a resume, but UCLA dismantled the Cardinal, which is what an elite team should do in conference play. That's the version of UCLA coach Mick Cronin wants from his team. If that performance can be replicated, the Bruins will rise up the national rankings and will contend with Arizona for the Pac-12 championship.
UCLA got off to a 15-0 start versus Stanford, blitzing the Trees from the start and eventually building an enormous lead. UCLA led 32-9 midway through the first half. It buried Stanford and did not allow the Cardinal to breathe. UCLA was overwhelming and imposing at both ends of the court. Where was this team against Illinois and Baylor? That's a question which will linger, but the intensity of the question will dissipate if the Bruins can follow up the Stanford game with more efforts like it in the coming weeks.
This game against Oregon is an important moment for UCLA — not only because it's a conference game and not only because the Bruins need to play well, but also because Oregon is a likely contender in the top tier of the Pac-12 and because of one detail from last season which annoyed the Bruins.
Last season, COVID-19 policies in Los Angeles limited and in some cases prevented indoor attendance of sports events. Oregon's visit to Westwood and Pauley Pavilion was one of those events. UCLA fans couldn't attend. Oregon received the unexpected benefit of playing in an empty visiting building. The Bruins were deprived of a true home-court advantage, and Oregon won, 84-81. UCLA will definitely want to get revenge for that loss and for a subsequent 68-63 loss in Eugene later in the 2022 Pac-12 basketball season.
This Oregon team is depleted. Keeshawn Barthelemy, a transfer from Colorado, and South Carolina transfer Jermaine Couisnard are both on the shelf with injuries. The Ducks don't have the roster or the backcourt they hoped to have, and that's a big reason they have struggled so profoundly in the early part of their season. Oregon needs a huge game from Will Richardson, who has simply not played anywhere close to his best in the early portion of this season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Oregon-UCLA College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: Oregon-UCLA Odds
Oregon Ducks: +9.5 (-110)
UCLA Bruins: -9.5 (-110)
Over: 141.5 (-110)
Under: 141.5 (-110)
Why Oregon Could Cover the Spread
The point spread is large, given how well Oregon and coach Dana Altman have fared against UCLA in recent years. The Ducks might not be playing great, but they always get up for UCLA.
Why UCLA Could Cover the Spread
This UCLA team looked strong versus Stanford. If that team shows up, Oregon will be Roast Duck.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick
UCLA's best basketball might be emerging. Take the Bruins against an injury-riddled Oregon side.
Final Oregon-UCLA Prediction & Pick: UCLA -9.5
