Pac-12 Tournament Championship Pick: Arizona vs. UCLA 3/11/23

This match will be played at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, March 9, 2023 at 10:30pm ET.

Why bet on UCLA:

✅ UCLA is one of the hottest teams in all of college basketball to enter this competition as they have won 12 straight games. They’ll stay hot with a win here against Arizona.

✅ UCLA’s defense will make all the difference in this game. They rank first in Division 1 defensive efficiency at Kenpom, allowing just 60.3 points per game. They’ll slow Arizona down to a win here.

Arizona Wildcats: One win away from Pac-12 Crown

The Arizona Wildcats defeated rival Arizona State in the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament. They are now one win away from winning a conference title. But they must find a way to score more regularly against one of the best defenses in the nation to win that Pac-12 title.

Arizona won a game by few points against UCLA earlier this season, earning a 58-52 win at home in their first clash with the Bruins. But that game was in Arizona, and it could be a lot harder for the Wildcats to match UCLA’s defensive intensity in a neutral venue here.

UCLA Bruins: Want to make statement against Arizona

UCLA has been ablaze in the Pac-12 for the past few months. They won 12 straight games, including one at home against the same Wildcats, prior to this match between Arizona and UCLA. If the Bruins can continue to play lockdown defense in this Pac-12 Finals, they could earn both a conference title and an NCAA tournament one-seed.

Something to watch out for in this game is Tyger Campbell’s offensive performance for the Bruins. Campbell caught fire in Friday’s semifinals for UCLA against Oregon. If he can stay hot against Arizona, the Wildcats might not have an answer for him.