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The UCLA Bruins take on the Kentucky Wildcats in New York. Check out our college basketball odds series for our UCLA Kentucky prediction and pick.
The Kentucky Wildcats have one very obvious problem to solve as they move ahead with their season: Who will hit big perimeter shots for coach John Calipari's team? Kentucky was 6 of 25 from 3-point range against Gonzaga earlier this season. Kentucky also got just 12 total bench points versus the Zags. Oscar Tshiebwe needs plenty of help, and he really hasn't received it in the first five weeks of the season.
Kentucky fans watched Calipari lose to Saint Peter's in the 2022 NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed. They are doing the math and can see that Kentucky's losses to Gonzaga and Michigan State have put the Wildcats in a difficult position in terms of getting a high NCAA seed for 2023. Final Fours are expected in Lexington, but Kentucky is on a seven-year Final Four drought and looking at eight years if things don't change in the coming weeks. Kentucky needs a complete offense and a more developed bench, but the Wildcats have not shown they can deliver those ingredients against elite opposition. UCLA reasonably qualifies as an elite opponent in Madison Square Garden for this nationally-televised showcase event.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the UCLA-Kentucky College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: UCLA-Kentucky Odds
UCLA Bruins: -2.5 (-105)
Kentucky Wildcats: +2.5 (-115)
Over: 143.5 (-110)
Under: 143.5 (-110)
Why UCLA Could Cover the Spread
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It was striking to see the vintage UCLA Bruins return to life this past week against Maryland. UCLA lost to Illinois and Baylor earlier in the season, and the Bruins failed to find the level of play they displayed in their run to the 2021 Final Four, and during portions of the 2022 college basketball season. With Jaime Jaquez, Tyger Campbell, and a group of other role players returning as part of an experienced lineup, UCLA figured to be a Final Four contender, but the team which struggled against Baylor and Illinois was not that team. We hadn't seen that team yet.
It showed up against Maryland.
UCLA smothered the Terrapins with the in-your-chest defense Mick Cronin-coached teams are known for. UCLA got on top of the game and never let up, building a massive lead and cruising home for a comfortable blowout victory in a true road game. That is what elite teams look like. That is what elite teams do against good opponents. UCLA made its big statement, and now that the Bruins have displayed the form of a high-quality team — a group which is worthy of contending with Arizona for the Pac-12 title — they should be viewed as the favorite in this game.
Why Kentucky Could Cover the Spread
The Wildcats haven't played a large number of games in recent weeks. They have played only twice since Nov. 29. While Kentucky doesn't yet have a high-end win (the kind of win UCLA delivered against Maryland), the Wildcats have had a lot of time to practice, tend to exams, and move through their pre-holiday routines so that they could devote maximum attention to this game. Kentucky and Calipari know how huge this game truly is, especially since the upcoming annual game against Louisville will not help Kentucky's NCAA Tournament portfolio. You are going to see an intense, focused effort from the Wildcats. They are lying in wait, ready to spring an ambush against UCLA
Final UCLA-Kentucky Prediction & Pick
Kentucky will be a stiff test for UCLA, but the Bruins showed against Maryland that they are ready to play their best basketball. They will win and cover.
Final UCLA-Kentucky Prediction & Pick: UCLA -2.5
