UCLA (17-6) vs Penn State (13-10)
February 8, 2025 at 04:00 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: UCLA -8.5 — Over/Under: 142.5
The Penn State Nittany Lions are visiting the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, February 8th at the Pauley Pavilion. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Penn State Nittany Lions vs UCLA Bruins Prediction. We will examine:
The UCLA Bruins’ recent form and player performance
The Penn State Nittany Lions’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving UCLA Bruins
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Penn State Nittany Lions
Recent betting trends in games played between the Penn State Nittany Lions and UCLA Bruins
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Penn State Nittany Lions vs UCLA Bruins game
UCLA Bruins Preview
The UCLA Bruins have a 17-6 record this season and are sitting in 4th place in the Big Ten. UCLA is coming off a 63-61 win over Michigan State. The Bruins are 12-10-1 against the spread, and 9-14 in over/under while having a 12-1 home record.
Offensively, UCLA is averaging 75.4 points per game, which ranks 155th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 64.3 points per game (20th). The Bruins shoot 46.8% from the field (75th) and 34.3% from beyond the arc (155th). The Bruins shoot 70.7% from the free-throw line (222nd) and are grabbing 32.4 rebounds per game (324th).
Tyler Bilodeau leads UCLA in scoring with an average of 13.9 points and 4.6 rebounds, while Eric Dailey adds 12.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Penn State Nittany Lions Preview
The Penn State Nittany Lions have a 13-10 record this season and are sitting in 17th place in the Big Ten. The Lions are coming off a 61-69 loss to Minnesota. The Lions are 11-12 against the spread, and 9-14 in over/under, while having a 1-5 road record this season.
Offensively, Penn State is averaging 81.4 points per game, which is 32nd in the nation. Defensively, they allow 72.5 points per game (216th). The Lions shoot 48.1% from the field, which is the 38th-best nationally, and 34.4% from beyond the arc (148th). The Lions shoot 74.7% from the free-throw line (86th), and are grabbing 34.4 rebounds per game (252nd).
Ace Baldwin leads Penn State in scoring, with an average of 14 points and a team-high 7.7 assists, while Nicholas Kern adds 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Why the UCLA Bruins will win
- UCLA has won each of its last 10 games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Penn State has lost eight of its last nine games.
- UCLA has won the first half in each of its last nine games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Penn State Nittany Lions will win
- UCLA has lost six of its last seven day games against the Big Ten Conference.
- Penn State has won four of its last five day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
- Penn State has won the first half in four of its last five day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs UCLA Bruins Prediction
In this Penn State Nittany Lions vs UCLA Bruins Prediction, UCLA is coming as the -8.5 home favorite. UCLA is rightfully favored, as they have been the better team this season, and have been almost perfect in their thirteen home games played. On the other hand, Penn State is terrible on the road, but they boost a top-30 offense, while UCLA has a top-20 defense. The Bruins have been red-hot lately, as they have six consecutive wins, but are 3-6-1 against the spread in their last 10 games. The Lions are 1-8 in their last 9 games, but 5-2 against the spread in their last 7. Both teams have been playing some lower-scoring games lately, as they are 8-1 to the under in their last 9 games combined, and I expect a hard-fought low-scoring affair today. Take the under.