Overview
Sports betting guides would have had UCLA among the favorites to make the Final Four throughout most of the season. The Bruins removed a number of star players from a team that caught fire last season and was a buzzer-beater away from going to the national championship game last season.
UCLA won seven of its last eight games to end the year and are looking like a team to beat. The Bruins struggled with Akron in the first round before blasting Saint Mary’s in the second round.
UCLA’s Sweet 16 opponent, however, wasn’t one betting guides would have identified as a legitimate contender in the middle of the season. UNC had a swoon in the ACC play that had people wondering if the Tar Heels could miss the tournament entirely. While UNC would have likely been given the benefit of the doubt had they at least got to 20 wins, the point is the Tar Heels had their struggles.
That is what makes betting on March Madness so interesting. A season full of struggles can be erased by six strong performances in March and April. Let’s take a look to North Carolina at UCLA Betting Analysis
Last games records
UNC beat Baylor 93-88 in overtime on March 19. The Tar Heels are 26-9. UCLA beat Saint Mary’s 72-56 on March 19. The Bruins are 27-7.
Matchup Information
North Carolina at UCLA Betting Analysis
North Carolina Betting Analysis
UNC added an interesting note to its basketball history in the second round against Baylor. The eighth-seed Tar Heels eliminated the defending national champions from the tournament for the first time in their history.
UNC won’t have to worry about Brady Manek, who scored 26 points, missing any time as a result of him being ejected for a flagrant foul. Manek, who averages 15.1 points per game, was thrown out in the second half of the Tar Heels’ win over Baylor.
UNC forward Armando Bacot, who averages 16.4 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, has been one of the Tar Heels’ key contributors this season. UNC ranks 28th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 78.6 points per game. The Tar Heels also rank 31st in the nation in 3-point percent, making 37.4 percent of their attempts.
Defense has been a struggle for UNC, which concedes 72.6 points per game which ranks 279th nationally. The Tar Heels also allow their opponents to shoot 34.8 percent from the 3-point line.
UCLA Betting Analysis
UCLA isn’t a team that will be intimidated or sped by their opponents. The Bruins are collectively a team that is strong under duress. UCLA ranks second nationally in turnovers per game, averaging 9.0 turnovers per contest. Guard Johnny Juzang leads the Bruins in scoring, averaging 15.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
Offensively, UCLA has been efficient despite not being a program that is known as a strong outside shooting team. The Bruins average 75.7 points per game despite only making 6.8 3-pointers per game. UCLA shoots 45 percent from the field and 35.3 percent from the 3-point line.
The Bruins have struggled against UNC in the all-time series, trailing 10-3. In the NCAA tournament, the schools split a pair of meetings in 1968 and 1989.
Updates
UCLA guard Jamie Jaquez Jr. is questionable for the game. Jaquez, who averages 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, would be a difficult loss for the Bruins.
- North Carolina is 19-15 against the spread.
- UCLA is 20-14-1 against the spread.
- The over has a record of 15-19 against the total in the Cyclones’ games.
- The over has a record of 20-15 against the total in the Hurricanes’’ games.
- North Carolina is 13-8 against the spread following a win.
- UCLA is 12-12 against the spread following a win.
North Carolina at UCLA Betting Preview
March Madness betting odds have UCLA as a 2.5-point favorite. Anyone interested in a different type of March Madness bets can bet on the over/under, which is set at 141 points.
North Carolina at UCLA Betting Prediction
How healthy Jaquez is will make a big difference for UCLA. The Bruins are capable of scoring with any team in the country but also pride themselves on being stout defensively.
UNC is more of a fun-and-gun team, capable of putting up points in bunches. Should the Tar Heels be able to continue to move at a torrid pace, they could bury UCLA early.
It’s hard to imagine either team winning this game by many points. However, given the injury uncertainty with Jaquez and how well the Tar Heels have been playing for the past month, it is hard to not like UNC in this matchup. The Tar Heels have found their mojo and can see a solid path to the Final Four in front of them.
Bet UNC +2.5.
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