UCLA (29-5) comes into the tournament with national title aspirations, looking to get to the Final Four for the second time in the last three years.
The Bruins are the No. 2 seed in the West Region, ready to take on No. 15 UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs are a terrific three-point shooting team, which is what they’ll need if they’re to pull off the upset.
UCLA is a heavy favorite in this matchup, but you never know what can happen in this wild tournament that we call March Madness.
Read on for my UCLA vs UNC Asheville prediction and best bets.
UCLA vs UNC Asheville Odds
Note: CBB odds mentioned in this article for Team vs Team were used from DraftKings Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted, and are current as of Monday, March 13, at 4 p.m. EST.
- Moneyline: UCLA (-2800) | UNC Asheville (+1300)
- Point Spread: UCLA -17.5 (-110) | UNC Asheville +17.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: Over 134.5 Points (-115) | Under 134.5 Points (-105)
UCLA vs UNC Asheville Pick of the Day
Keep reading for more UCLA vs UNC Asheville betting tips.
UCLA vs UNC Asheville Prediction
UCLA 81, UNC Asheville 60
UCLA is the second-ranked team in the tournament, per Pomeroy’s rankings. The Bruins come in first in Adjusted Defensive Efficiency, which will make it tough on the Bulldogs because they’re ranked 195th in Adjusted Offensive Efficiency.
In short, it’s hard to see them scoring enough points to hang around in this matchup.
📈 Keep track of NCAA Tournament winner odds to find our best March Madness bets:
UCLA vs UNC Asheville Best Bets
UCLA -17.5 (-110) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Bruins have 14 wins by 18 or more points. They’re coming into the tournament in top form, having won nine of their last 10 games.
While you always run the risk of a backdoor cover when laying so many points, it’s hard to see that happening here. UNC Asheville simply does not have enough firepower on offense, and they will need to catch fire from beyond the arc for them to keep this game close.
Bet on the experienced Bruins to take care of business with a convincing win in the first round.
UCLA: Over 76.5 Total Points (-120) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Over on the team total has a strong correlation with choosing the favorite on the point spread, especially when it’s a larger number.
If UCLA can cover the 17.5 points, they’ll also likely eclipse their team total.
Wagering on this market also can cover my point spread bet in the event that UNC Asheville gets a backdoor cover. The Bruins averaged 73.9 points per game, which is still pretty close to this number.
UCLA vs UNC Asheville Same Game Parlay
UCLA vs UNC Asheville SGP (-140) | DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
- UCLA -11.5 (-230)
- UCLA: Over 71.5 Total Points (-260)
We’ll use our Same Game Parlay like a teaser, targeting a more favorable number on both point spread and team total wagers.
