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The No. 7 UCLA Bruins (19-4) visit the Oregon State Beavers (9-15) on Thursday night. Action tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with a UCLA-Oregon State prediction, pick, and how to watch.
UCLA has won two consecutive games and sits at 10-2 and in first place in the Pac-12. The Bruins covered 57% of their games while 52% went under the projected point total. Oregon State has lost three of their last four games and dropped to 3-10 and 11th place in the Pac-12. The Beavers covered 52% of their games while 70% went under. UCLA has won five of the last six meetings between the schools including 39 and 16-point victories last season.
Here are the UCLA-Oregon State college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: UCLA-Oregon State Odds
UCLA: -15.5 (-102)
Oregon State: +15.5 (-120)
Over: 122.5 (-110)
Under: 122.5 (-110)
How To Watch UCLA vs. Oregon State
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: Pac-12 Live
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why UCLA Could Cover The Spread
UCLA is a legitimate national title contender who ran through their non-conference slate with a 9-2 record. They picked up big wins over Maryland and Kentucky while dropping tight matchups to Illinois and Baylor. They continued that success into Pac-12 play, with their lone two losses coming at Arizona and USC. As a result, the Bruins fare well within the advanced rankings. UCLA sits at No. 3 in KenPom and No. 5 in NET. They've gone 16-0 in Quad 2, 3, and 4 matchups despite a 3-4 record against Quad 1 opponents. Consequently, the Bruins currently project as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
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UCLA is a strong all-around team whose identity lies on the defensive end of the floor. The Bruins allow the seventh-fewest points per game, giving up just 60.3 PPG. They are especially skilled at forcing turnovers, doing so at the third-highest rate in the country. On the offensive end, UCLA does a good job moving the ball, averaging 15 APG. Additionally, they are a strong offensive-rebounding team that ranks 20th nationally in offensive rebound rate.
Offensively, UCLA features a balanced attack with four players averaging double-digit points. Senior Jaime Jaquez Jr. leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. Averaging 16.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG, Jaquez is one of the most consistent players in the Pac-12. Additionally, he is a pesky defender who ranks fourth in the conference with 1.7 steals per game. Coming off a 24-point, 15-rebound outing in their most recent win, expect Jaquez to continue his strong play despite Oregon State's solid defense.
The X-factor for UCLA tonight could be point guard Tyger Campbell. The 5'11” senior ranks second on the team with 13.2 PPG while placing fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.9 APG. A streaky outside shooter, Campbell averages 1.5 threes per game while shooting them at a 35% clip.
Why Oregon State Could Cover The Spread
Oregon State has struggled all season to pick up quality wins after going just 6-5 in non-conference play. The Beavers dropped two games to Portland State in addition to losses to Duke, Florida, and Texas A&M. Things haven't gotten much better in Pac-12 play with their only wins coming against Washington, Cal, and Colorado. As a result, Oregon State does not far well within the advanced rankings. Oregon State sits at No. 204 in KenPom and No. 217 in NET. They've struggled mightily against the higher-level competition, going 1-13 in Quad 1 and 2 matchups. Additionally, the Beavers have two brutal Quad 4 losses. Predictably, Oregon State does not project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Oregon State struggles mightily on offense, but they are actually a solid defense team. The Beavers allow just 66.8 PPG which ranks in the top 100 nationally. However, they rank outside the top 300 in both scoring and rebound rate. That being said, the Beavers are a solid outside shooting team. They rank fifth in the Pac-12 in three-point percentage, shooting 34% from beyond the arc.
Oregon State is led by a pair of underclassmen guards in freshman Jordan Pope and sophomore Glenn Taylor Jr. Pope leads the team with 12.6 PPG while also chipping in 2.5 RPG and 2.5 APG. He is a lethal outside shooter who averages nearly two threes per game while shooting 38% from beyond the arc. As for Taylor Jr, the sophomore averages 11 PPG and 3.5 RPG.
The X-factor for Oregon State is forward Dzmitry Ryuny. The 6'9″ senior from Belarus doesn't score much as he averages just 4.8 PPG. That being said, he is their glue-guy who leads the team in rebounding with 4.4 RPG, steals with 1.0 SPG, and blocks with 0.6 BPG.
Final UCLA-Oregon State Prediction & Pick
UCLA demolished Oregon State when they came to town last season and I don't see things going any differently this time around.
Final UCLA-Oregon State Prediction & Pick: UCLA -15.5 (-102)
