The No. 21 UCLA Bruins (11-5, 2-3 Big Ten) tangle with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-8, 1-4) in Monday Big Ten action in Piscataway. Tip time at Jersey Mike’s Arena will be at 6:30 p.m. ET (FS1). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college basketball odds around the UCLA vs. Rutgersodds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.
UCLA carries a 3-game losing streak into Monday’s contest. Since Dec. 21, the Bruins are 1-4 straight up (SU) and 1-4 against the spread (ATS). The game at RU closes out a 2-game East Coast trip. UCLA lost at Maryland Friday. In that contest, the Bruins were outshot 54% to 41.5% in a 79-61 game (ATS loss as 5-point underdogs).
Rutgers has also lost 3 in a row (SU and ATS). The Knights last played on Thursday, losing 68-50 (as 3-point home underdogs) against Purdue. RU was held to a season-low 17 field goals in that game and has shot just 33.6% from the floor over its last 2 games.
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UCLA at Rutgers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:50 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: UCLA -165 (bet $165 to win $100) | Rutgers +140 (bet $100 to win $140)
- Against the spread: UCLA -3.5 (-105) | Rutgers +3.5 (-115)
- Over/Under (O/U): 138.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
UCLA at Rutgers picks and predictions
Prediction
UCLA 73, Rutgers 68
Moneyline
No interest. PASS.
Against the spread
Both teams have been on ATS slides of late, but look for a UCLA bounceback in this contest. Of late, the Bruins have had the tougher schedule and have had some late-game slides. They’ve shot 39.6% from the floor over their last 4 games, and opponents have clocked a 56.5% mark over their last 2 games. Peg UCLA as being due some shooting regression.
The Knights are an excellent team on the offensive glass, but the Bruins figure to counter effectively. BartTorvik tabs UCLA as being the best defensive rebounding team in the nation.
Consider a partial-unit play on the BRUINS -3.5 (-105).
Over/Under
Rutgers plays up-tempo. UCLA goes at a below-average pace, but the Bruins have been sped up over recent games.
The listed total would be UCLA’s second-lowest since Dec. 14 and RU’s lowest since that same date. On a slight lean, the OVER 138.5 (-110) is the value side here.
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