Get Your UCLA at Indiana NCAAB Pick from MyBookie’s Writer

Two of college basketball’s bluebloods meet for the first time as conference rivals on Friday night as UCLA visits NCAA Tournament bubble team Indiana, which needs the win much more but is a small home dog on the CBB odds. MyBookie’s UCLA at Indiana NCAAB pick can be found at the end of the article, but the moment, the Huskies are short favorites on the college basketball odds.

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How to Bet UCLA at Indiana Odds & TV Info

NCAA basketball lines: UCLA -1 (139.5)
When: Friday, 8 PM ET
Where: Assembly Hall, Bloomington
TV: FOX
Stream: FOX Sports Live

UCLA vs Indiana Series History

It’s tied 6-6 all-time but as noted they have never been conference foes previously with UCLA moving to the Big Ten this season. The two most recent meetings between UCLA and Indiana have taken place in the NCAA Tournament (1992, 2007). The Bruins played Indiana twice during the 1991-92 season, with UCLA winning a neutral-site contest on Nov. 15, 1991, before the Hoosiers earned an 106-79 win over UCLA in the Elite Eight (March 28, 1992). The Bruins haven’t played at Indiana since Dec. 29, 1956.

Why Bet on UCLA?

UCLA (18-7, 9-5) had a seven-game winning streak snapped in an 83-78 loss at Illinois on Tuesday. Ben Humrichous made 1 of 2 foul shots to give Illinois an 81-78 lead with seven seconds left. He missed the second shot, and off the carom, teammate Tomislav Ivisic deflected the miss which ended up in the hands of Kylan Boswell. Forced to foul, UCLA sent Boswell to the line where he made a pair to secure it. The Illini were up 16 with 4:15 left, but the Bruins then went on a 13-0 run to get back within range.

UCLA entered the contest as the Big Ten’s No. 1 defense, allowing just over 64 points per game. The Bruins had to pivot from a blowout win over Penn State last Saturday to playing just two days later, roughly 2,000 miles from Los Angeles.  The Bruins absorbed their first loss since a 75-68 setback at Rutgers on Jan. 13.

“Look, we got exposed defensively and different guys not being able to guard the ball and stay in front of the ball,” said coach Mick Cronin. “You saw the game; that was my biggest concern. Obviously, we didn’t have a lot of prep time. We had to travel across the country, so that was a huge concern. Now, it’s not an excuse; we had time, but I know that this was a tough matchup for some of our personnel, and I don’t want to name names.”

Tyler Bilodeau scored a team-leading 25 points, connecting on 7 of 12 shots from 3-point range. He finished the game having made 9 of 17 shots. Bilodeau, who knocked down a career-high seven threes, became the Bruins’ first player since Dylan Andrews against Oregon State last March (March 13, 2024) to have made seven 3-pointers in one game. Kobe Johnson scored 14 points and Sebastian Mack registered 11 points as the only other Bruins to have scored in double figures. Johnson shot 5-for-7 against Illinois and was a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Bilodeau has averaged 14.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 24 games, shooting 50.4 percent from the field. Eric Dailey Jr. ranks second on the team in scoring (11.7 ppg) and third in rebounding (4.2 rpg). UCLA ranks No. 22 in the nation in scoring defense (64.6 ppg), 10th in turnovers forced per game (16.16) and fifth nationally in turnover margin (+5.6).

UCLA has limited the opposition to 65 points or fewer in 12 of 25 games this season. The Bruins have gone 61-3 since the start of the 2019-20 season when holding the opposition to fewer than 60 points. Johnson (45 steals, 1.8 spg) is ranked seventh in the Big Ten in steals per game.

Even with that Illinois loss, UCLA has averaged 77.9 points over the past eight games, shooting 49.1 percent overall and 38.1 percent from 3-point range in the eight-game span. Bilodeau has shot 54.4 percent overall in that span.

Why Bet on Indiana?

Indiana (15-10, 6-8 Big Ten) snapped a five-game skid with a big 71-67 upset win at No. 11 Michigan State on Tuesday. Mackenzie Mgbako made two free throws with 9.4 seconds left, putting the Hoosiers ahead by three points and essentially clinch it. The Spartans made just 38.2% of their shots overall and were worse on 3-pointers, connecting on 4 of 23 beyond the arc.

The preseason pick to finish second in the Big Ten that was ranked as high as No. 14 in the AP Top 25 in late November showed some of its potential, coming back from a double-digit deficit early in the game to lead at halftime and for the entire second half. The win got IU at least close to the NCAA Tournament bubble again and was huge for embattled coach Mike Woodson, who will step down at the end of the season. It was MSU’s first home loss of the season and prevented Spartans head coach Tom Izzo from passing former Indiana head Bob Knight as the Big Ten’s career victory leader. Both remain tied at 353.

“Well, it’s tough. They know that I won’t be back,” Woodson said after IU’s win. “That’s been tough on these guys. It’s tough on me. But we still got a lot of season left, and I just want these guys to believe. I want them to go into the (NCAA) Tournament and experience it, and get in the Big Ten Tournament and see if you can win it. I mean, that’s what it’s all about. It’s not just getting there, you want to get there and try to win a Big Ten Tournament and then see where that leads you. I just gotta keep on pushing them, keep them positive, keep them up.”

Forward Malik Reneau took charge when it mattered most to finish with 19 points (16 in the second half) and 12 rebounds. It was his second double-double of the season and it came while coming off the bench.  “I was getting frustrated early on,” Reneau said. “Coach said go straight to the rim. That’s what I did. In the second half, everything was working for me.” Over the last two seasons, Reneau has averaged 22.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in his last three road games in which he has played at least 20 minutes against Associated Press Top 15 teams.

Center Oumar Ballo also delivered a double-double, his eighth of the season, with 14 points and 10 rebounds despite playing just 26 minutes before fouling out. IU played Michigan State to a virtual draw in fastbreak points at 17 to 19, huge given the Spartans are one of the nation’s best transition teams.

Ballo has averaged 13.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks per contest and has shot 64.6% (126-of-195) from the floor. He is one of five Division I men’s basketball players (Johni Broome, Auburn; Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico; Denijay Harris, Southern Miss; Yaxel Lendeborg, UAB) to average 13.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocked shots per night, and the only player to post those numbers on 60.0% shooting or better. The 7-footer is second among Big Ten players (Danny Wolf, Michigan) and ranks 16th nationally in boards per game.

Forward Luke Goode has averaged 11.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game while shooting 46.1% (47-of-102) from the floor, 46.4% (32-of-69) from the 3-point line, and 90.5% (19-of-21) from the free throw line over his last 13 games (9 starts).

Expert Prediction: Indiana 70, UCLA 69
NCAAB Pick: UNC Wilmington ML

“Old Days”Lew Alcindor(later,Kareem Abdul Jabbar)closes in on Rick Mount during UCLAs 73-71 victory over Purdue at Mackey Arena in 1967.#UCLA #Purdue #NCAAB #Indiana #1960s pic.twitter.com/3Ida8MhdiQ

— Tom’s Old Days (@sigg20) December 10, 2024

Looking to sharpen your College Basketball betting skills up to date, then check this out: What is March Madness? – How to Bet on March Madness?

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