Programs on opposite ends of the spectrum of postseason success will meet in the 2021 NCAA Tournament when No. 6 BYU (20-6) faces No. 11 UCLA (18-9) Saturday night on CBS. The Bruins have won 18 national championships, which is the most of any program, while the Cougars have the most wins in Division I history without a Final Four appearance, much less a national championship. Their first-round matchup comes courtesy of UCLA defeating Michigan State in the First Four to advance in the updated March Madness bracket to face a waiting Cougars' squad who gave Gonzaga a scare in the WCC title game before succumbing.
The all-time series between these teams is tied at 12. Tip-off is set for 9:40 p.m. ET from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Cougars are listed as four-point favorites per William Hill Sportsbook, and the over-under for total points scored is 139 in the latest UCLA vs. BYU odds. Before finalizing any BYU vs. UCLA picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on BYU vs. UCLA in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UCLA vs. BYU:
- BYU vs. UCLA spread: Cougars -3.5
- BYU vs. UCLA over-under: 139 points
- BYU vs. UCLA money line: Cougars -170, Bruins +145
- BYU: The only other time the Cougars were a No. 6 seed was in 1981 when they reached the Elite Eight
- UCLA: The Bruins overcame a 14-point deficit vs. Michigan State which is their largest comeback win this season
Why BYU can cover
Having great guard play is key to a deep run in March Madness and the Cougars have the luxury of having two of them. Point guard Alex Barcello (15.9 PPG, 4.5 APG) shoots nearly 50 percent from 3-point range which ranks 10th in the nation. His backcourt mate in fellow senior, Brandon Averette (11.5 PPG, 3.7 APG), is an All-WCC selection and can get hot in a hurry as he scored a season-high 30 points in a December matchup vs. NCAA tourney team TSU.
Outside of those two stars, BYU has strength in numbers as it goes 10 deep, which gives them an extra advantage over an already-shorthanded UCLA squad that played a Thursday night overtime game. That gives coach Mark Pope plenty of options to attack the Bruins, who have lost four of five and allowed 75.8 points per game during that stretch. BYU is 13-1 when scoring at least 75 points with the lone loss coming to Gonzaga.
Why UCLA can cover
The Bruins' know how to overcome adversity as they've done so all season. They lost All-Pac-12 player Chris Smith due to a torn ACL but proceeded to win seven straight games following his injury. UCLA then lost four straight games to end the season, and were down 14 points to Michigan State in the First Four, only to rally for the victory and to keep its season alive. Despite Smith being the only senior on the squad, UCLA has incredible poise and can withstand the inevitable runs that BYU will make.
With all five starters averaging double-figures, the Bruins utilize a well-balanced attack on the offensive end. They are the only team with three All-Pac-12 selections and two of those showed up in a big way vs. Michigan State. Jaime Jaquez poured in a career-high of 27 points vs. the Spartans while Johnny Juzang chipped in with 23 points. Those two have also been big parts in the Bruins' hot outside shooting as of late as UCLA has knocked down 41 percent of its 3-point attempts over the last nine games.
How to make BYU vs. UCLA picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 148 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins BYU vs. UCLA? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
