- Ohio State visits UCLA on Sunday afternoon at
- Both teams are coming off straight-up losses as double-digit home favorites
- See the Ohio State vs UCLA predictions, player props, and best available odds on Feb. 23
The Ohio State Buckeyes (15-12, 3-5 away, 7-9 Big Ten, 13-14 ATS) and UCLA Bruins (19-8, 14-2 home, 10-6 Big Ten, 11-16 ATS) will both be looking to right the ship when they meet at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles at 12:45 pm PT/3:45 pm ET on Sunday afternoon. UCLA had its five-game home win streak snapped in stunning fashion last time out, falling 64-61 to Minnesota as 11.5-point favorites. But the Bruins still head into Sunday’s tilt with the Buckeyes as sizable 6.5-point home favorites.
Ohio State vs UCLA Prediction & Picks
- UCLA -3.5 (-175) at DraftKings
- Tyler Bilodeau over 13.5 points (-115) at bet365
As poorly as the Bruins performed against the Gophers last time out, the Buckeyes were far worse in their most-recent game, getting demolished 70-49 at home by Northwestern as 10-point chalk. That marked Ohio State’s fourth straight-up loss in its last six games.
The Buckeyes have also lost back-to-back road games at Illinois (87-79) and at Nebraska (79-71), dropping them to 3-5 straight-up in true road games this season.
UCLA had been on a fairly torrid run at Pauley Pavilion before the massive upset against Minnesota, winning 14 of their first 15 home games this season. Their only previous home loss was a 94-75 setback to the Michigan Wolverines.
The Bruins’ resume already includes home victories against Wisconsin (#9 at KenPom), Michigan State (#10), and Oregon (#37), plus a “semi-home” win over Gonzaga (#11) in Inglewood.
Mick Cronin’s team went through an ugly stretch from late December to mid-January, losing five of six. It’s possible that Tuesday’s loss to the Gophers is a harbinger of another slump. But I doubt it. The Bruins are deep and well-coached, and they’re catching an Ohio State team that’s not just coming off its worst performance of the season, but one that’s struggled on the road all season.
I’m not going to lay the full 6.5 points but I do like UCLA to cover an alt-spread of 3.5 at -175 odds. I’m also targeting the over on leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau at 13.5. The Buckeyes don’t have a ton of size and struggle to rebound the ball. The 6’9 forward should get his share of looks – and second looks – in the post.
Bettors can see the full list of Ohio State vs UCLA player props at the tail-end of this article.
Ohio State vs UCLA Odds
The Ohio State vs UCLA point spread is 6.5 across the board with only minor variations in price. The best ATS option for Ohio State bettors is +6.5 (-105) at FanDuel. The best ATS option for UCLA bettors is -6.5 (-110) which is available at BetMGM, ESPN Bet, and bet365.
On the moneyline, Caesars has the best price on a UCLA win at -267, while ESPN Bet has the longest odds on an Ohio State victory at +240.
There is almost no variety when it comes to the game total, unfortunately. It’s universally listed at 138.5 and almost every book has it at -110 both ways. The exception is DraftKings, which is offering slightly better odds (-108) on the over.
Sunday’s college basketball public betting splits show the public hammering the Bruins on the moneyline (77% of ML handle) but leaning to the Buckeyes against the spread (59% of ATS handle).
OSU vs UCLA Player Props
OSU vs UCLA player props as of Feb 23 at bet365. Download the top sports gambling apps to bet on all of Sunday’s college basketball action.
The Ohio State vs UCLA player props feature ten players all clustered between 8.5 and 13.5 points. UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau (14.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.4 APG) and Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton (17.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.4 APG) have the highest totals, each at 13.5.
OSU’s Devin Royal has the highest rebound prop at just 5.5 O/U, while Thornton has the highest assist total of the night (4.5 O/U).
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The highly anticipated matchup between Ohio State and UCLA on February 23rd is sure to be a thrilling game for college basketball fans. Both teams have had successful seasons so far, with Ohio State currently ranked in the top 10 and UCLA not far behind in the top 20.
When it comes to predictions for this game, it’s expected to be a close and competitive matchup. Ohio State has been playing well all season, with standout performances from players like E.J. Liddell and Duane Washington Jr. UCLA, on the other hand, has been led by Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Both teams have strong offenses and defenses, so it could come down to which team can execute better on both ends of the court.
In terms of player props, keep an eye on E.J. Liddell for Ohio State. The forward has been a dominant force for the Buckeyes this season, averaging over 15 points and 6 rebounds per game. He could have a big game against UCLA’s defense. On the UCLA side, Johnny Juzang has been a scoring machine, averaging over 20 points per game. He will be a key player to watch in this matchup.
When it comes to betting odds, Ohio State is currently favored to win this game, but UCLA shouldn’t be counted out. The Bruins have proven themselves as a tough team to beat and could pull off an upset on their home court.
Overall, this game has all the makings of a classic college basketball showdown. Fans can expect a high-energy, back-and-forth battle between two talented teams. It’s sure to be a game you won’t want to miss.