College Basketball Preview: UCLA Bruins vs. Michigan Wolverines

The 24th-ranked Michigan Wolverines (11-3) and 22nd-ranked UCLA Bruins (11-3) will compete on Tuesday, January 7 at 10:00 PM ET at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The Bruins are favored at home with a point spread at MyBookie of -3.5 (-110).

Michigan Wolverines Betting Preview

The Wolverines have found success over their last three games. They defeated the USC Trojans 85-74, which was their closest battle in this stretch.

Danny Wolf led them in several categories, with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. All five starters made it to double figures, showing a strong unit. However, they will need a deeper bench against the Bruins.

They shot 52.7 percent from the field and 41.7 from deep. On defense they held the Trojans to 43.5 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three point range. Both teams looked about the same on paper, but the Wolverines happened to make a handful of more plays that mattered more.

The Wolverines have put up 84.1 points a game and shoot 51.3 percent from the field. Their defense allows 67.1 points a game, which compliments their offense for a generous spread.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The Bruins have lost two out of their last three games and need to find consistency. Their most recent performance was a 66-58 defeat against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

This matchup was tied at 24 after the first half, but the Cornhuskers found momentum early in the second to put away the Bruins. Tyler Bilodeau led with 15 points and Lazar Stefanovic was next in line at 10, marking the only two players in double figures.

The Bruins made 38.6 percent of their shots, but were atrocious from deep as they only made 14.3 percent. On defense they allowed the Cornhuskers to make 32.7 percent of their shots and 28.0 percent from three point land.

The Bruins put up 76.0 points a game and are making 46.7 percent of their shot attempts. Defensively they have allowed 59.2 points per matchup from opposing teams. This is a comfortable spread, but only if they can stay consistent on both ends of the floor.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

The Michigan Wolverines vs. UCLA Bruins betting odds have been provided by MyBookie, with the Bruins as 3.5-point favorites. Current market predictions suggest the Bruins have a 60.6 percent likelihood of winning.

The Bruins are not quite in desperation mode, but are teetering on that line for how well their season could end up. A few games back, they appeared to be a legit top-15 team in the nation. However, their struggles will not be fixed overnight and the Wolverines have great momentum to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Michigan Wolverines +3.5 (-110)