The UCLA Bruins take on the Maryland Terrapins. Check out our college basketball odds series for our UCLA Maryland prediction and pick.
UCLA gets another chance for a big win in this game. The Bruins are 2-0 in the Pac-12, but they don't have a big national win yet this season.
The Bruins have a veteran roster with ample skill. Jaime Jaquez surprised a number of analysts when he delayed his journey to the NBA by one year and stayed in school. When he chose to stay, that made UCLA a Final Four contender for a lot of college basketball experts. With Tyger Campbell and other familiar teammates also coming back to surround Jaquez and give the Bruins a noticeably seasoned roster, UCLA became a trendy and understandable selection to get back to the Final Four, having been there in 2021 in Indianapolis.
UCLA lost to Illinois and Baylor earlier this season. Those losses have looked worse, not better, in the course of time. Illinois got embarrassed at home by Penn State this past weekend. Baylor lost by 26 points to Marquette and does not look anywhere close to the No. 1 seed it was the past two seasons. UCLA really needs this win over Maryland to boost its national profile and its overall body of work.
When Charles “Lefty” Driesell came to Maryland to coach the Terrapins in 1969, John Wooden had established a true dynasty at UCLA, winning three straight national championships and five of the previous six. Driesell had big dreams. He said he wanted to make Maryland “the UCLA of the East.” Maryland didn't make the Final Four under Driesell, which was partly a product of the NCAA Tournament's limited size in that era, but the Terrapins were a true national power during Driesell's tenure, regularly in the middle of the national title and Final Four conversations. Now, Maryland has a new coach with big dreams. Kevin Willard came from Seton Hall and is trying to do what his immediate predecessor, Mark Turgeon, was unable to do: Lead Maryland back to the Final Four. This game will shape the Terps' season and affect their odds of achieving at a high level.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the UCLA-Maryland College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: UCLA-Maryland Odds
UCLA Bruins: +1.5 (-105)
Maryland Terrapins: -1.5 (-115)
Over: 141.5 (-115)
Under: 141.5 (-105)
Why UCLA Could Cover the Spread
UCLA has the more veteran team. Jaquez, Campbell, and other role players have been there and done that in college basketball. They were part of the 2021 Final Four team. They are not going to be intimidated by the scene in College Park. UCLA can stand up to the pressure and play a poised, tough, disciplined game at both ends of the floor.
The other point to make here is that Maryland has lost two straight games to good teams, Wisconsin and Tennessee. Those two teams — Wisconsin and Tennessee — very narrowly defeated USC, a team widely believed to be a few notches worse than UCLA. If Maryland lost to two opponents which struggled to beat USC, it stands to reason that UCLA can definitely handle the Terps, even though this game is on the road for the Bruins.
Why Maryland Could Cover the Spread
The UCLA Bruins lost to Illinois earlier this season. Maryland defeated Illinois earlier this season, one of the Terrapins' two really good wins so far in the new campaign. Illinois, as a common opponent, shows the difference between UCLA and Maryland. More precisely, it shows that when comparing these two teams, Maryland is better.
The other point to make here is that UCLA simply has not meshed to the extent many people thought it would. UCLA brings back a lot of players from last season's roster, but Johnny Juzang is not one of them. The Bruins seem to be a less complete team with Juzang not on the floor. UCLA coach Mick Cronin needs to find better lineup combinations, but he hasn't found them yet. Maryland, playing at home, has a formula which is more likely to work.
Final UCLA-Maryland Prediction & Pick
This is almost a pick'em game. Trust UCLA's experience to finally emerge and rise to the forefront.
Final UCLA-Maryland Prediction & Pick: UCLA +1.5
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