College Basketball Picks: Arizona Wildcats vs. UCLA Bruins

The UCLA Bruins have compiled a 14-6 straight-up record in their last 20 meetings against the Arizona Wildcats, which is important to consider when making your college basketball picks Thursday as the two rivals prepare to meet at Pauley Pavilion.

Sports bettors will find that the Bruins are two-point home underdogs in the NCAA basketball odds, with the betting total sitting at 145 in the market.

Let's take a closer look at this Pac-12 Conference matchup from a betting perspective while offering up a prediction along the way.

Gambling stats via SBR Forum

Arizona Wildcats

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The Arizona Wildcats have won all 15 of their games to open up the 2013-14 campaign, including a 71-62 victory over the Washington Huskies as 17-point home favorites last Saturday.

Over the last two-plus seasons, the Wildcats are 1-3 straight-up and against the spread as road favorites of three or fewer points.

UCLA Bruins

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The UCLA Bruins rank second in the Pac-12 in averaging 87.1 points per game. They come off a 107-73 blowout victory over the USC Trojans as 12.5-point home favorites Sunday.

College basketball handicappers will find that the Bruins have covered the number in six of their last eight home games.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers back the UCLA Bruins, as the underdog is 5-0 against the spread in the last five meetings in this rivalry.

College Basketball Pick: UCLA Bruins +2

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