UCLA vs. Northwestern Odds, Spread & Predictions (March 18)
March 2, 2023; Los Angeles, California, United States; UCLA Bruins guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (24) shoots a free throw against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
- UCLA takes on Northwestern in the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament on Saturday, March 18
- UCLA is 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games
- Check out all the UCLA vs Northwestern odds, tips and best bets below
What a round! After 32 exciting competitions, the NCAA tournament is entering its second round. Competitors UCLA (30-5, 18-2 PAC 12) meet Northwestern (22-11, 12-8 Big Ten) in the Round of 32 on Saturday, March 18.
UCLA goes into the second round after giving their bunch a run in an 86-53 blowout against UNC Asheville, while the Northwestern Wildcats beat a Boise State team game in the first round 75-67.
Get your dials on TNT as this UCLA vs. Northwestern fight airs at 8:40 p.m. ET from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California.
UCLA vs Northwestern Odds
| team | spread | money line | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | -8 (-110) | -380 | Over 127.5 (-110) |
| northwest | +8 (-110) | +310 | Below 127.5 (-110) |
UCLA goes into this matchup as an 8-point favorite in Saturday’s college basketball odds and a heavy -380 moneyline favorite over Northwestern. Northwestern comes back as a +310 underdog. The total for UCLA vs. Northwestern is 127.5.
Odds as of March 17th at DraftKings Sportsbook. Get the best March Madness betting promos.
UCLA Betting Trends
Seeing UCLA as the big favorite in this second-round contest shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the Bruins take third place in the odds of winning March Madness at +900.
Mick Cronin’s team received contributions from around the world against UNC Asheville as five Bruins hit double digits.
Only 2 UCLA players have recorded 15+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ steals in an NCAA tournament game
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Reggie Miller pic.twitter.com/DvRxiX00NN— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 17, 2023
Top scorer Jaime Jaquez Jr. joined good company on Thursday night. The Pac-12 Player of the Year averaged 17.3 points and 8.2 rebounds this season and will be an important part of UCLA’s run to the national championship.
The Bruins are KenPom’s second-ranked team in adjusted efficiency and the top team in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Pac-12 tournament finalists went undefeated in February and have won 13 of their last 14 games. Crucially for spread bettors, UCLA is 6-2-2 ATS in their last ten competitions.
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Northwest betting trends
Senior guard Boo Buie filled the basket with 22 points to lead Northwestern over Boise State on Thursday. Buie led the Wildcats to only their second NCAA tournament appearance this season, averaging 17.3 points per game and 4.5 assists this season. Northwestern never fell behind in the first round as Chase Audige added 20 points and 6 rebounds for the Wildcats.
We could watch that @booboo_buie shake and bake all day 😼
📹: @CBSSports pic.twitter.com/JgT03dXdBP
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) March 17, 2023
Northwestern finished second in the Big Ten for the first time in almost 65 years and will look to continue this magical season. That being said, the Wildcats might struggle to score against UCLA. According to KenPom, the Northwestern offense averaged just 109.6 points per 100 possessions this season and ranked 100th in the nation. While Northwestern boast a pair of dynamic scoring guards, getting the ball in the basket will be difficult when it comes to the Bruins’ high-level defense.
Interestingly, Northwestern has covered the scatter in seven of their last ten games.
UCLA vs Northwestern Prediction
While the Wildcats are a battle-hardened team, they’ll have a tough time against the Bruins. Victory over UCLA will be a tremendous challenge for Northwestern.
UCLA is a bridge too far for Northwestern. Take the Bruins to sail to victory and advance to their 35th Sweet Sixteen.
UCLA vs. Northwestern Pick: UCLA -8 (-110)
March Madness Round 2 Predictions (March 18):
March Madness Round 1 Predictions (March 19):
Nick Wood
Sports content author
A sports betting fanatic and a Toronto Film School graduate, Nick covers the NFL, NBA, soccer and MMA for SBD. He is also an avid NBA podcaster and TikToker for sports betting. Nick’s work was featured in the Bleacher Report.
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