Gonzaga vs UCLA Free Picks & Betting Predictions In 1 vs 2 Battle

We’ve been treated with a lot of highly-ranked college basketball duels so far this season, but Tuesday night will showcase a matchup that’s extra special: the top teams in the country, No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA, going head to head.

Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena is the perfect place for a heavyweight fight, which is essentially what this is in the final of the Good Sam Empire Classic (tip-off at 10 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. local time). Neither team has lost yet, and this could certainly be the toughest test either team faces all season. Gonzaga is a seven-point favorite on betting apps right now.

For spreads, moneylines and point totals, check out our college basketball odds table below, followed by our college basketball picks for Gonzaga vs. UCLA.

Odds are current as of publication. betting sites may indicate odds changes closer to kickoff.

5 Keys to Gonzaga vs Texas

No. 1 vs. No. 2, round 43: For the 43rd time in NCAA men’s basketball history (and the 25th time in the regular season), the Nos. 1 and 2 teams meet on the hardwood. Gonzaga has never been part of a matchup like this, while UCLA is in its first since 1975. No. 1 seeds are 5-3 in neutral-court games such as this one.

One good win apiece: Both teams have one win against a team inside KenPom’s top 10 rankings: Gonzaga beat No. 8 Texas, while UCLA beat No. 7 Villanova. The Bulldogs and Bruins were also both at home for those games, although UCLA needed overtime.

Riley out another two weeks: UCLA big man Cody Riley will miss another two weeks with a lower-body injury, coach Mick Cronin told reporters, which means the Bruins won’t have one of their main contributors from last year. Riley played 42 minutes and scored 14 points in UCLA’s Final Four loss to Gonzaga in April.

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Recent matchup: Speaking of that Final Four game, Gonzaga took home a 93-90 OT win as 14-point favorites. Four UCLA starters from that game have returned, versus just two Gonzaga starters.

Holmgren’s heroics: To make up for Gonzaga’s departing stars, top-ranked freshman Chet Holmgren will need to continue to shine. He scored 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting, with five rebounds and two assists, in Gonzaga’s win over Central Michigan on Monday.

Gonzaga vs UCLA Prediction & Best Bet

Gonzaga is always a tempting play on a single-digit spread because they’re accustomed to blowing teams out (even the good teams). Their last single-digit regular season win came on Dec. 2, 2020, against a talented West Virginia team.

UCLA is more fearsome than that, and we just saw the Bruins play the Bulldogs exceptionally tough last spring. Many of those Bruins are back, seeking vengeance.

We think UCLA will fall short, but not by enough to make us feel great about the spread. Roll with Gonzaga on the moneyline, where sportsbooks have the odds at or around -280.

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