Published Feb 13, 5:20pm ET by
Demilade Adelekun - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Feb 13, 5:20pm ET
Updated Feb 13, 5:57pm ET
Michigan is set to host UCLA after their comeback victory against Northwestern. This Valentine's Day matchup features two of the premier teams in the Big 10.
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| Michigan Wolverines | -15.5 (-105) |
| UCLA Bruins | +15.5 (-115) |
UCLA is 17-7, and currently in 7th place in the Big 12. The Bruins have won five of their last six games, with the sole loss being an one point double overtime defeat to Indiana. The Bruins had a shaky start to the non-conference, but have found their groove in Big Ten play.
Tyler Bilodeau leads the Bruins with 18.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, providing efficient scoring from inside and out. Donovan Dent serves as the team's engine, averaging 13.7 points and ranking among the national leaders with 7.1 assists per game. They will need big games from both to keep up with one of the nation's best offenses.
Michigan is 23-1, and ranked second in the nation. With Arizona’s loss earlier in the week, a win against UCLA should guarantee Michigan’s spot at AP #1.
Michigan is currently 11-1 when at the Crisler Center. They are one of the hardest teams to keep pace with, as the Wolverines average 90.8 points a game. This game will be bittersweet for Michigan big man Aday Mara. He spent his first two years of his career playing for the Bruins. Saturday will mark his first matchup against his former school.
UCLA vs Michigan will be a statement game for either side. It will rather show that Michigan is the true number one team in the country, and here to stay, or show that UCLA is a true dark horse in the Big 10. The current spread is +15.5 in favor of UCLA. Though we think that Michigan is the better team, we believe UCLA is in form. We think they will go blow-for-blow with Michigan until the end. Our pick is UCLA (+15.5)
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Pick
UCLA (+15.5)
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