Arizona Visits UCLA in Battle of Pac-12 Goliaths
No. 7 Bruins Eye Sixth Straight Win Over No. 3 Wildcats
No. 3 Arizona leads nearly every major statistical category in the Pac-12, including field-goal percentage (50.1%). Games aren’t played on stat sheets, however, and No. 7 UCLA tries to disrupt the high-flying Wildcats Tuesday night. Arizona hasn’t been a loser in conference play this season.
Something needs to give, as Arizona is 4-1 in true road games while UCLA is 7-1 at home.
With the Bruins winning the last five meetings with Arizona-covering in each-that’s something for those who bet online to consider. Despite that impressive run, UCLA is listed as a 3½-point underdog at home. The last time Arizona won at Pauley Pavilion was a 96-85 shootout in 2017. That’s the pace the high-scoring Wildcats want to play, while the Bruins would rather have the game in the low 80’s.
Arizona (+1500) has the eighth-best odds to win the national championship, while UCLA (+2200) is 10th.
- Game: Arizona (16-1) vs UCLA (13-2)
- Location: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 25th, 11:00 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
Arizona Wildcats vs UCLA Bruins
This Type of Traveling Agrees with Wildcats
Arizona began its quest for a conference title with some emphatic results, especially on the road.
The Wildcats have won each of their first three Pac-12 road games by at least 25 points. Since Arizona joined the conference prior to the 1978-79 season, that’s a first.
Azuolas Tubelis left the win at Stanford with an ankle injury, resulting in him bring out for Sunday’s win at Cal. His status might not be known until shortly before game time. The Lithuanian Tubelis is one of two Pac-12 players to rank in the top 15 in the conference in points (15.1 ppg), rebounds (6.1 rpg), field-goal percentage (56.9%) and assists per game (2.9 apg). The Wildcats were able to take care of business without one of their best players against Stanford and Cal, but that might be a lot to ask against UCLA.
Arizona has listed Pelle Larsson as the starter replacing Azuolas Tubelis. Won’t be a surprise if the Wildcats use five perimeter guys at a time when Andre Kelly is resting.
— Bruce Pascoe (@BrucePascoe) January 23, 2022
Bennedict Mathurin is the top scorer in the Pac-12 in road games (22.8 points per game). The Montreal native is connecting on 53% of his road field goals, including half of his three-point attempts. He isn’t merely providing points as he’s also contributing six rebounds, 2.6 assists and one steal per game.
The last time Arizona defeated a top 10 team on the road was January 21, 2017, a 96-85 win at UCLA as previously mentioned. That was also the last time the Wildcats won inside Pauley, as Arizona is just 14-34 at UCLA in the history of the rivalry.
Arizona is 4-1 against the college basketball spreads in its last five road games.
Ball Security a Strength for UCLA
There are plenty of areas where the UCLA Bruins rank among the nation’s elite but none more than turnovers. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 and are ninth among Division I men’s basketball teams with 9.8 turnovers committed per game.
Much of that can be attributed to the ball being with starting point guard Tyger Campbell as often as possible.
Since the start of the 2021 NCAA tournament, Campbell has 91 assists and committed only 25 turnovers. He hasn’t committed more turnovers than assists in the last eight UCLA contests.
Campbell, averaging 11.5 points 4.3 assists per game, is looking to make an impact after a couple of mediocre performances. Scoring just nine points (3-for-18 from field, including 1-of-7 from three-point range) in tight wins at Utah and Colorado, the assist-to-turnover ratio (5-to-4) left something to be desired.
Campbell has scored in double figures in both of UCLA’s games against ranked opponents this season.
While Arizona is apt to concede shots to Campbell, he needs to get teammate Johnny Juzang involved early and often. Juzang is shooting 57% from the field and 86% from the foul line in the last four games.
Campbell averaged 17.5 points in two games against Arizona last season, while Juzang was held to 12.5 points per game. That is certainly a trend Arizona wishes to continue.
UCLA is 1-4-1 against the Las Vegas odds in its last six games.
The ‘Cats win, but hard to ignore Bruins as home ‘dog
Arizona leads the Pac-12 with a scoring margin (22.2 ppg), UCLA is third at 7.3 ppg.
If there is a concern for UCLA, it’s that the Bruins are being outrebounded this season and are also be playing the top shot-blocking team in the conference.
The top three players in the Pac-12 in assist-to-turnover ratio will be featured in this game. Campbell is the leader with 3.56 assists for every turnover, while Arizona’s duo of Dalen Terry (3.09) and Kerr Kriisa (2.50) are two reasons the Wildcats score, and score some more.
The total has gone under in five of the last seven games in this series. Both teams get after it on defense, but even with a total of 150½, those who bet online may be tempted to take the over, considering all the offensive firepower on both teams.
It’s a nod to the roadies, but the home team makes it close.
Pick: Over 150½ (-110)
Pick: Arizona (-150)
Pick: UCLA +3½ (-110)
