UCLA vs. Denver: How to Watch, Game Info, Betting Odds
The Bruins are getting back on the hardwood after a week off from game action, hosting the Pioneers for one of their penultimate nonconference home game.
WHO: UCLA vs. Denver
DATE: Saturday, Dec. 10
TIME: 12:02 p.m. PT
LOCATION: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
TV: Pac-12 Networks – J.B. Long (play-by-play), Don MacLean (analyst)
STREAMING: fuboTV (Start your free trial)
RADIO: AM 570, Sirius Ch. 134/197, SXM App 959 – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SPREAD: UCLA -27 (-118), Denver +27 (-110)*
MONEY LINE: N/A
OVER/UNDER: O 146.5 (-118), U 146.5 (-118)*
UCLA came in at No. 19 in the most recent AP Poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and is currently No. 14 in the NET Rankings, No. 7 in the KenPom and No. 4 in the BARTHAG. Denver did not appear in either the AP Poll or Coaches Poll, and is currently No. 205 in the NET, No. 243 in the KenPom and No. 244 in the BARTHAG.
The Bruins were the heavy favorite to win the Pac-12 this season, earning the No. 1 spot in the preseason media poll with the vast majority of first-place votes. The Pinoeers, meanwhile, came in at No. 5 in the Summit League preseason poll without a first-place vote.
UCLA is led by coach Mick Cronin, who is in his fourth season with the program. Cronin boasts a 75-32 record since arriving in Westwood and a 440-203 record as a head coach overall, including his stints at Murray State and Cincinnati.
The Bruins are currently 7-2, including a 2-0 record in Pac-12 play. A winless weekend in Las Vegas set the team back in the polls a bit following losses to Illinois and Baylor, but they eventually recovered by beating both Stanford and Oregon in the early portion of the conference schedule.
UCLA is averaging 80.7 points per game while allowing 63.2 points per game, which ranked No. 40 and No. 61 in the country, respectively. The Bruins have the No. 24 adjusted defense in both the KenPom and the BARTHAG, while their adjusted offense is ranked No. 7 in the KenPom and No. 6 in the BARTHAG. Their 50.2% field goal percentage ranks No. 13 in the country, and their 29.0 rebounds against per game ranks No. 22.
Guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. leads UCLA with 17.3 points per game, and he ranks second on the team with 5.7 rebounds per game. Guard Jaylen Clark is averaging 14.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, while point guard Tyger Campbell is averaging 13.9 points and 4.9 assists per game. Guard Amari Bailey has broken onto the scene with back-to-back Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors, averaging 11.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game so far this season.
Denver is led by coach Jeff Wulbrun, who is in his second season with the program. Wulbrun was an assistant under Jerod Haase at UAB from 2012 to 2016, then he joined Haase's staff at Stanford from 2016 to 2021, and he has a 19-23 record in his head coaching career.
The Pioneers are currently 8-2, with both of their losses coming at the hands of Sacramento State, who UCLA beat by 26 points in their season opener. Denver has beaten every other team on its schedule, though, at one point rattling off a six-game winning streak including victories over IUPUI, The Citadel and Houston Christian.
Denver is averaging 79.6 points per game while allowing 72.9 points per game, which ranked No. 59 and No. 278 in the country, respectively. The Pioneers have the No. 141 adjusted offense in both the KenPom and the No. 120 adjusted offense in the BARTHAG, while their adjusted defense is ranked No. 319 in the KenPom and No. 326 in the BARTHAG. Their 52.5% field goal percentage ranks No. 2 in the country, and their 29.0 rebounds against per game ranks No. 6.
Former South Carolina Upstate and Jacksonville guard Tommy Bruner leads Denver with 15.6 points per game on 4.9 attempts from 3-point range. Second-leading scorer Tevin Smith has missed the last four games, but four more Pioneers are averaging double-digit points per game – forward Tyree Corbett, guard Justin Mullins, forward Touko Tainamo and forward Lukas Kisunas.
UCLA is 11-1 against Denver all-time, with the head-to-head series starting back in 1951. The Bruins' one loss to the Pioneers came on the road in 1960 by three points, but they have a 28.8-point average margin of victory in the five matchups since.
The last time UCLA and Denver faced off was on Dec. 8, 2019, at Pauley Pavilion in Cronin's first season at the helm, and the Bruins won that game 81-62.
*Odds via SI Sportsbook
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