Arizona-UCLA Men’s College Basketball Preview and Best Bet

The Bruins are getting hot at the right time, but Wildcats will pose a threat.

Author:
Pat Forde
Publish date:
Mar 3, 2023

In this story:

It’s March, the best month of the year for college basketball. Smaller conference tournaments are underway, and this is the last weekend of regular-season games in the major conferences. There are some opportunities to make a score with moneyline picks, so let’s get to it.

No. 8 Arizona at No. 4 UCLA

Game Info: March 4, 2023 | 10:00 p.m. ET | ESPN

Arizona Straight-Up Record: 25-5 (14-5 Pac-12)
Arizona Against the Spread Record: 14-15-1

UCLA Straight-Up Record: 26-4 (17-2 Pac-12)
UCLA Against the Spread Record: 17-12-1

The Bruins are rising, right on time. They’ve won nine in a row, clinched the Pac-12 regular-season title and are very much in the mix for a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed. They’ll also likely have revenge on their minds for a January loss to the Wildcats in Tucson.

Since UCLA’s two-game losing streak to Arizona and USC, senior wing Jaime Jaquez has played extraordinary basketball. He’s averaged 20.3 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 52% from two-point range and 38% from three. He’s also been part of the Bruins’ increasingly ferocious defense, which now ranks second nationally according to Ken Pomeroy’s metrics.

The Wildcats’ interior size presents a challenge for UCLA, but freshman Adem Bona has developed well as a paint presence for the Bruins. He’s averaged two blocked shots per game during UCLA’s current nine-game winning streak.