Arizona (-6) And UCLA Each Have Just One Conference Loss

USA soccer is close to qualifying for the 2022 World Cup after a big 3-0 win vs. Honduras last night 🇺🇸 — let’s talk Pac-12 hoops 👇

UCLA vs. Arizona Preview

After returning all five starters from last year’s Final Four team, it was widely assumed that the Pac-12 would be UCLA’s to lose this year. With just over a month of regular season action left, that assumption looks to be accurate, but an unexpected contender has emerged as well 👀

Unranked to begin the year, the Arizona Wildcats have looked the part of a Final Four-caliber squad, racking up big wins vs. Michigan, Illinois and Stanford. Here’s how the lines are looking ahead of the season’s second meeting between the two teams 👇

#3 UCLA @ #7 Arizona Betting Preview

• Spread: Arizona -6

• Moneyline: Arizona -275 (bet $275, win $100), UCLA +220 (bet $100, win $220)

• Over/Under: 146

Arizona’s lone conference loss this season came in the first matchup vs. UCLA last Tuesday, while UCLA’s only Pac-12 blemish is an OT loss against Oregon back on January 13th. Checkout the full conference standings here 📋

Ready For Round Two 

In the season’s first iteration of this conference rivalry, let’s just say UCLA did not take too kindly to being 3-point underdogs on their home floor

• The Bruins jumped out to an 11-point lead at half and never looked back, cruising to a 75-59 victory

• The Wildcats shot a putrid 30.7% from the field in that contest, and star guard Bennedict Mathurin really struggled, knocking down just five of his 22 attempts

UCLA’s best player, Johnny Juzang, was inefficient himself in the first meeting, but the matchup between him and Mathurin is undoubtedly the one to watch tonight

• Both players were just named to the watch list for the Jerry West Award, annually given to country’s best shooting guard. The pair also checks in on the most recent Wooden Watch list, which is down to 20 names

• Mathurin in particular has emerged as a dark horse contender for the nation’s top individual honor — he’s currently tied for the eight-best odds to win the Wooden Award (+2000)

Mathurin will certainly have redemption on his mind tonight, as Arizona looks to protect its home court, where they’re a perfect 11-0 on the season. But UCLA is undefeated in true road games, and they’ll be out to prove the Pac-12 goes through Westwood after all. Should be quite the game 😎

Trivia question: Since 2011, Arizona has had five top-10 selections in the NBA Draft. Can you name them all? (answer below)

Big Ten Spotlight

Outside of that epic Pac-12 clash, tonight may seem a bit light on big time action. But when in doubt, always check what’s going down in the Big Ten

The headliner is a showdown between #16 Ohio State and the always dangerous Iowa. Take a look at the lines ahead of the lone regular season meeting between these two teams 👇

Iowa @ #16 Ohio State Betting Preview

• Spread: Ohio State -5

• Moneyline: Ohio State -225, Iowa +180

• Over/Under: 153

The streaky Hawkeyes are in the midst of a cold spell, having dropped three of their last four games, including a double-OT heartbreaker against Penn State on Monday night

• Ohio State is fresh off a close loss of their own against #6 Purdue on Sunday, but the Buckeyes, and E.J. Liddell in particular, have been playing great basketball as of late. The Wooden Award candidate had a pair of 20-point games last week, including a 23-15-5 line in a win over Minnesota 

Liddell has had some of his best performances against OSU’s toughest opponents, so expect more individual excellence from him tonight, in addition to Iowa’s Keegan Murray, the Big Ten’s leading scorer 💧

For My Parlay Gurus

I was in on the underdog Bruins in their first matchup against the Wildcats, and I’m not changing my tune now. I’m going with UCLA and OSU in tonight’s parlay, check it out 👇

• UCLA +6 vs. Arizona: -110

• Ohio State -5 vs. Iowa: -110

$100 on this bet would win you $264 — if we hit, make sure to email [email protected] for $100*. First come, first serve 😉

Trivia answer: Arizona players drafted in the top-10 since 2011 — Deandre Ayton (2020, #1, Suns), Lauri Markkanen (2017, #7, Timberwolves), Stanley Johnson (2015, #8, Pistons), Aaron Gordon (2014, #4, Magic) and Derrick Williams (2011, #2, Timberwolves)