Washington vs UCLA Odds, Pick
| Washington Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +100 | 138.5 -105o / -115u | -110 |
| UCLA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -120 | 138.5 -105o / -115u | -110 |
The Washington Huskies travel to L.A. to face the UCLA Bruins in a highly important game for the Huskies' NCAA tournament hopes.
Washington Huskies
While UCLA plays slow and can't score, Washington plays a vastly different style. The Huskies run at the 61st-quickest tempo in college hoops and rank 43rd in Offensive Efficiency. That's almost 200 spots better than their opponent.
Sorry for rubbing salt in the wound, Bruin fans.
The Huskies' offense relies on two players — Sahvir Wheeler and Keion Brooks Jr., a pair of former Kentucky Wildcats. It often felt like Wheeler got scapegoated by Kentucky fans for a few uneven seasons in Lexington, but he's always made his teammates better. He's averaging over 15 points and six dimes a game.
Wheeler's emergence finally gives Mike Hopkins a pass-first point guard who can drive and kick to shooters if the clean layup isn't there.
Brooks is in the midst of a career year, averaging 20.1 points on 50% shooting and 43% from deep. The improved outside shooting makes him nearly impossible to defend, as he already has a polished mid-range and driving game. Brooks is the current Pac-12 Player of the Year favorite right now, and I don't think it's all that close.
Outside of Brooks starting in the frontcourt, Washington has a rotating line of bigs to defend the rim. It's a trio of really good bigs — Braxton Meah, fresh off of a double-double against Arizona State, Franck Kepnang and Wilhelm Breidenbach.
The one advantage UCLA holds over most teams is at the five with Adem Bona. It's not a huge advantage, if at all, against the Huskies trio.
UCLA Bruins
Teams usually don't "quit" in early January, but it feels like UCLA has. The Bruins lost by 46 points against Utah, losing by more than the 44 they scored.
That's less than ideal, especially since it's the team's fourth consecutive loss and a fourth straight game scoring below 60 points. When a team can't even stay within 40 points of its opponent, it points to a total lack of effort.
The deeper metrics feel even worse for UCLA's offense — KenPom has it 237th in Offensive Efficiency compared to 43rd in Defensive Efficiency.
The more concerning part is UCLA allowed 90 points against Utah. The team usually defends, but what does this roster actually do if it isn't scoring and isn't defending?
The offense plays a snail's pace (327th in tempo), has an effective field goal percentage of 44% (344th nationally) and shoots 27.9% from deep (341st.) None of those troubling numbers provide optimism for things turning around.
Sebastian Mack is the most consistent source of offense, averaging 13.7 points per game. He's shown loads of promise in his first season at UCLA, but he's scored less than 10 points in three of the past four games. He needs a huge performance against the Huskies.
Mack is the team's leading scorer, closely trailed by Bona and Dylan Andrews. That's the scoring formula for the Bruins.
The one guy who could get rolling is Lazar Stefanovic, the lone transfer in the program. Stefanovic jetted over from Utah following a trio of solid seasons with the Utes. He's shooting 30% from the field and 27% from deep.
The contagious lack of shot making has really affected Stefanovic. If anyone can truly turn things around, it's a guy like Stefanovic, who's already produced at this level.
Washington vs. UCLA
Betting Pick & Prediction
Look, I just can't back a terrible UCLA team, which looks increasingly disinterested in playing basketball.
Surely, the constant public criticism from Mick Cronin doesn't bring the best out of his players either.
It's a completely lost season for UCLA, so I can't see this game ending very competitively.
