College Basketball Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. UCLA Bruins

The Iowa Hawkeyes (12-5) and UCLA Bruins (11-6) will meet up for a compelling college basketball betting opportunity on Friday, January 17 at 9:00 PM ET at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The Bruins are home favorites with a -6.5 (-120 MyBookie) point spread.

Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Preview

The Hawkeyes have a recent 99-89 loss to the USC Trojans, which ended their two-game win streak. They are now 3-2 over their previous five games, with most of them being lopsided affairs.

The Trojans never lost the lead in this game even when they made the first bucket at 2-0. The Hawkeyes had moments where they could have closed the gap to take the lead, but a poor first half ending 48-32 really set them back. Owen Freeman led with 25 points and six rebounds.

They shot really well at 53.3 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from deep. But, they allowed the Trojans to make 64.9 percent of their field goals and an insane 66.7 percent from three.

The Hawkeyes are getting 89.5 points a game and make 51.0 percent of their shots. Defensively they allow opponents to get 78.0 points a game on them, which is not bad if their offense is clicking.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The Bruins have lost their last four games and they need to break the streak now. Their latest defeat was a 75-68 performance against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.

This matchup was close after the first half, with the Bruins leading by three. However, they fell apart defensively in allowing the Scarlet Knights to get 45 points in the second. Sebastian Mack led with 16 points on 50 percent shooting from the field.

Both teams shot about the same from the field and from deep, and committed about the same amount of turnovers. One area that stood out was rebounding, as the Scarlet Knights added more possessions with 37 rebounds compared to the Bruins at 29.

The Bruins are averaging 74.6 points a game and make 45.9 percent of their shots. Their defense has allowed 63.4 points a game from opposing teams, which shows a solid spread here.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has you covered for appealing Iowa Hawkeyes vs. UCLA Bruins betting odds. Currently, the Bruins are 6.5-point favorites. They also have a 68.1 percent likelihood of winning, according to market analysis.

The Bruins are averaging 65.5 points and are allowing 78.5 points a game from opponents during the losing streak. At this rate, the Hawkeyes have a great chance to cover the spread by winning or staying within reach of the Bruins, who might have a better opportunity since they are back at home after traveling their last handful of games.

Final Pick: Iowa Hawkeyes +6.5 (+120)