NCAA Basketball Betting – Bruins vs Wildcats
Fans can expect a hard-fought game at the McKale Center on Saturday, as Arizona plays host to UCLA in a PAC-12 matinee with both teams fighting for their postseason lives.
Date/Time: 2:00 PM ET, Saturday, February 25, 2012
Venue: McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona
Broadcast: CBS
Spread: OFF
Over/Under: OFF
The Bruins’ first meeting against the Wildcats was a success at home, beating them 65-58 back on January 5. However, UCLA has not fared well at the Mac going just 1-2 during the past four seasons.
But ULCA definitely has some momentum coming into this one as Lazeric Jones scored 20 points in a comfortable win over Arizona State on Thursday.
The Bruins, who have won five of their last seven conference games, will look to Jones once again, as well as Travis and David Wear, who shot 13 of 16 from the field in UCLA’s win in southern California earlier this season, to help them complete the sweep of Arizona.
While the Bruins can lock up a top-four finish in the Pac-12 and a first-round bye in the conference tournament, Arizona’s chances at the Pac-12 Conference regular-season title are dreary after a recent loss at Washington, but the Cats’ still have hopes to earn an NCAA at-large bid.[soliloquy id=”82219″]
The Wildcats are making a case, and have won six of their last seven games, and won their last outing against conference basement dweller USC, 70-54.
With a sold-out crowd donned in a sea of red for Saturday’s U of A Senior Day, the Wildcats should have all the pomp and circumstance on their side, but they will need to find a way to stop the Jones and the Wear brothers this time around.
Another key matchup could be UCLA’s center Joshua Smith, who didn’t play in the Bruins’ win over Arizona earlier in the season, against Arizona junior forward Solomon Hill who has been nothing short of impressive and has 10 double-doubles this season.
This is a very winnable game at home for the ‘Cats who are 21-14 all-time against UCLA in Tucson, and will be decked out in their cool new uniforms.
With the hype and pageantry surrounding this one, I just don’t see the Bruins pulling off the rare road sweep here.
Free Pick: Arizona
