UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Picks, Predictions, Odds

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

Dec. 11, 2021

Dan Dobish
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

The UCLA Bruins (7-1) hit the road to battle the Marquette Golden Eagles (8-2) at the Fiserv Forum on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on FOX.

Score Prediction

UCLA 81, Marquette 70

Best Bets

UCLA -5.5 (-105) at DraftKings

Under 151.5 (-110) at DraftKings

UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Predictions

The Bruins are back in action after an unexpected hiatus. UCLA last played Dec. 1 against Colorado, winning 73-61, and they were supposed to play Sunday in Washington. However, COVID-19 issues within the program caused Washington to have to forfeit, which will result in a conference win for UCLA, and a conference loss for Washington. The NCAA does not reward wins for the forfeiture, so you might see UCLA list as 8-1 in some places, but they're correctly listed here as 7-1 overall, with a 2-0 record inside the Pac-12.

Marquette has a pair of losses so far, falling to St. Bonaventure in a neutral-site game, and the Golden Eagles lost at Wisconsin on Dec. 4. There isn't a lot of shame in losing to ranked teams, and it's going to happen again on Saturday, too. We focused on the negative, and it is worth mentioning that Marquette has wins against Illinois, Ole Miss on a neutral court, and West Virginia, also on a neutral floor. So this team is battle tested, and they won't be fazed facing UCLA.

UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Odds

Odds Provided by DraftKings - Subject to Change

• UCLA -250
• Marquette +200
• UCLA -5.5 (-105)
• Marquette +5.5 (-115)
• Over 151.5 (-110)
• Under 151.5 (-110)

More Odds | Futures Odds

UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Resources

• Matchup: Pac-12 vs. Big East
• Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021
• Venue: Fiserv Forum
• Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• TV-Time: FOX - 9:30 p.m. ET

• Injury Report
• Wooden Award Odds
• Conference Futures Market
• Power Rankings

UCLA Bruins Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 7-1
• ATS: 4-4
• O/U: 4-4

The Bruins have won a pair of games since getting blasted by 20 points in Vegas against Gonzaga on Nov. 23. They have averaged 73.0 PPG in the two wins, covering against UNLV and just missing a hit on the number at Pauley Pavilion against Colorado in the Pac-12 opener.

As far as the total, UCLA opened with a 4-0 run to the OVER, but the UNDER has cashed in each of the past four outings. One thing which could affect the total is the status of G Jamie Jaquez Jr. (head), who is questionable due to a head injury. Head coach Mick Cronin told reporters Thursday that Jaquez has returned to full practice, although he wouldn't have played at Washington last Sunday. It appears he is trending toward playing, and doing so without any restrictions.

Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 8-2
• ATS: 5-5
• O/U: 6-4

The Golden Eagles have alternated covers and non-covers in the past four games, while also alternating the UNDER-OVER across the past six outings. Trend bettors aren't going to love what they see from Marquette, because there isn't a whole lot to go on if that's how you rely upon betting.

What is a bit worrisome is Marquette's shooting, particularly in the K-State game. Yes, they beat the Wildcats on the road - barely - but G Tyler Kolek misfired on all seven of his field-goal attempts to go scoreless, and Darryl Morsell hit just 3-of-13 from the field to go for eight points with four turnovers. Overall, the Golden Eagles were just 41%, or 26-of-63, from the field, while turning it over 11 times. If they struggled against a mid-level Big 12 team, imagine the difficulty they'll have against a UCLA team which is solid defensively with nice size.

The UCLA Bruins have covered six of the past seven games on the road. (AP)

Inside the Stats - UCLA Bruins

• Record: 7-1
• VI Ranking: 5
• PS/G: 82.8
• PA/G: 66.7
• ORtg: -
• DRtg: -

Inside the Stats - Marquette Golden Eagles

• Record: 8-2
• VI Ranking: 42
• PS/G: 74.7
• PA/G: 69.8
• ORtg: 100.0
• DRtg: 93.4

Key Players to Watch

• UCLA: Jules Bernard - G (14.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 44.4 3P%)
• UCLA: Johnny Juzang - G (17.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 44.6 FG%)
• MARQ: Justin Lewis - F (15.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.3 SPG)
• MARQ: Darryl Morsell - G (14.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 39.5 3P%)

UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Conclusion

UCLA took good care of the ball against Colorado, turning it over just nine times, while hitting 47% (27-of-58) from the field, including 44% (7-of-16) from behind the 3-point line. The Bruins lost Jaquez to a head injury, but it appears that he'll be more than fine to play in this one. That's a relief. And the extra rest helps the Bruins, after a grueling non-conference schedule which included marquee matchups against Villanova and Gonzaga, as well as a back-to-back on one occasion, and three games in a six-day window another time. They should come out fresh and ready to run in Cream City.

The Bruins were pushed around by the likes of Gonzaga, but Marquette is nowhere on the same plane, and won't have nearly the same success, even if they try and duplicate the blueprint of the Bulldogs. UNLV couldn't do it. Colorado couldn't do it. And Marquette won't come close, either, especially against a UCLA team that is rested and raring to go.

UCLA Bruins vs. Marquette Golden Eagles Betting Trends

• UCLA is 10-4 ATS in the past 14 games overall.
• UCLA is 6-1 ATS in the past seven road games.
• Marquette is 5-11 ATS in the past 16 home games.
• The UNDER is 4-0 in the past four games overall for UCLA.
• The UNDER is 4-1 in the past five home games for Marquette vs. winning teams.

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