UCLA vs. Maryland Odds, Picks, Predictions: Terps Scoring Woes Could Cause Problems Against Bruins
Two former assistants on Rick Pitino’s staff at Louisville will square off as head coaches as Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins (9-2) visit Kevin Willard’s Maryland Terrapins (8-2). Read on for our UCLA-Maryland college basketball pick and prediction.
Two former assistants on Rick Pitino’s staff at Louisville will square off as head coaches as Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins (9-2) visit Kevin Willard’s Maryland Terrapins (8-2).
The Bruins enter on a five-game winning streak, including having handled their first two games in PAC-12 play. Maryland has played four ranked opponents in its past six games, beating Miami and Illinois before falling most recently to Wisconsin and Tennessee.
Could their recent scoring drought against ranked foes cause more problems for the Terrapins against a strong offensive squad like UCLA?
Here is our best UCLA vs. Maryland NCAAB pick (odds via PointsBet; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
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UCLA vs. Maryland Game Info
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, 9 p.m. ET.
TV: FS1
Location: XFINITY Center, College Park, MD
UCLA vs. Maryland Odds
UCLA vs. Maryland Odds Analysis
According to Pregame.com, UCLA opened as a one-point road favorite before seeing the line shift across the middle to Maryland.
The range on this spread across our affiliated sportsbooks was wide as of Wednesday morning, with lines listed anywhere from Maryland -0.5 to -2.5. But movement during the morning has trimmed the range down to -1 to -1.5.
UCLA vs. Maryland Pick
UCLA +1.5 ★★★★
Maryland’s recent scoring woes could be trouble against a UCLA group that averages 81.3 points per game on the season. The Terps have engaged in several low-scoring games against quality competition in recent days, but their opponents in those matchups all profiled as teams with stronger defensive play than offensive play according to the KenPom metrics.
UCLA is the opposite, ranking seventh in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency and 24th on the defensive side. Still, this is a Bruins group that held opponents to fewer than 64 points per game and has recently shown the ability to downshift into a more measured scoring environment, handling Oregon 65-56 earlier this month.
The Bruins make their hay on the defensive end by forcing 17.6 turnovers per game, cutting possessions short for their opponents to lead to easy buckets in transition. Scoring just 17 first- half points in their most recent loss hosting Tennessee, the Terrapins won’t fare well if they can’t get off to a better shooting start on Wednesday.
Maryland is 4-1 ATS at home this season, but the Bruins have also covered the spread in their only road game of the campaign. Though Maryland has been tested by stronger foes more recently than UCLA, it’s hard to leave points on the table with a team that scores as capably as these Bruins.
UCLA vs. Maryland Best Odds
PointsBet +1.5 (-105)
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| +1.5 (-110) | +1.5 (-110) | +1.5 (-120) | +1 (-110) | +1.5 (-105) |
Caesars lists UCLA getting just one point on the spread, making that the least desirable location to bet the Bruins, but a favorable spot if you like the home team Terrapins.
The most common line among our affiliated sportsbooks is UCLA +1.5. DraftKings and FanDuel list that line with a standard -110 odds, while BetMGM makes you pay up for the Bruins with extra juice to -120.
The most favorable spot to bet UCLA is PointsBet. Even after the line moved from +2.5 back to +1.5 Wednesday morning, PointsBet still offers value on the Bruins’ odds compared to the rest of the sportsbooks, listing the +1.5 spread at -105.
Where to Bet on UCLA vs. Maryland
Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:
UCLA vs. Maryland picks made 12/14/22 at 9:45 a.m. ET.
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