Notre Dame at UCLA College Basketball Picks & Predictions 12/8/2018

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Pauley Pavilion

Get todays College basketball odds and lines on this game.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish head to Pauley Pavilion to take on the UCLA Bruins on Saturday, December 8, 2018. The opening line for this game has UCLA as 5.5 point favorites.

Notre Dame comes into this game with an overall record of 6-2. They currently have a point differential of 10.4 as they are averaging 78.0 points per game while giving up 67.6 per contest. UCLA has an overall record of 6-2. They are averaging 83.6 points per game and surrendering 71.8, good for a point differential of 11.9.

Valuable Notre Dame Fighting Irish Betting Trends

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 3-5-0 against the spread this season

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 4-3-1 against the over/under this year

Important UCLA Bruins Betting Trends

The UCLA Bruins are 4-4-0 against the spread this season

The UCLA Bruins are 3-5-0 against the over/under this year

Key Notre Dame Fighting Irish Injuries

12/03/18 G Robby Carmody Shoulder is questionable Tuesday vs Oklahoma
11/27/18 F Elijah Burns Transferred is out for season

Key UCLA Bruins Injuries

11/05/18 F Alex Olesinski Foot is out indefinitely
11/05/18 F Shareef O'Neal Heart is out for season
11/05/18 G Tyger Campbell ACL is out for season

Player Spotlight

Temple Gibbs comes into this game averaging 14.3 points per contest while playing 33.5 minutes per night this year. He grabs 2.9 rebounds per contest and distributes 3.4 assists per game. His FG percentage is 47% while his free throw percentage is 69%. John Mooney averages 11.5 points per contest in 22.4 minutes per game. He averages 0.5 assists per game and 9.5 rebounds per contest. His field goal percentage is 54% for the season while his free throw percentage is 82%.

Player Spotlight

Kris Wilkes scores 17.5 points per contest while playing 31.0 minutes per game. He hauls in 4.1 rebounds per contest and has 2.0 assists per game on the season. His FG percentage is 47% and his free throw percentage is at 71%. Moses Brown averages 13.0 points per game this year and he sees the court an average of 24.1 minutes per game. He also brings in 9.9 rebounds per game and has 0.6 assists per contest. His field goal percentage is 69% and his free throw percentage is 41%.

Useful Team Statistics

Notre Dame averages 78.0 points per contest, which is 113th in D-1. Their average scoring margin is 10.4 and their shooting percentage is 42% as a unit, which has them ranked 278th. From 3-point territory they shoot 31%, which is good for 264th in the nation. They average 40.5 boards per contest and 12.5 assists per game, which ranks them 45th and 252nd in those offensive categories. In the turnover department they are 345th with 9.4 per game. The Fighting Irish allow 67.6 points per contest, which is 94th in the NCAA. They also surrender a 42% shooting percentage and a 33% average from 3-point range, ranking them 120th and 186th in defensive field goal percentage. Opponents average 35.9 rebounds a game which ranks 212th, and they allow 12.9 assists per game which puts them in 163rd place in the country. They force 13.6 turnovers per game which ranks them 138th in Division 1.

Useful Team Statistics

UCLA is 38th in the nation with 83.6 points per contest this season. They are 65th in the country in shooting at 48%, while their average scoring margin is 11.9. They shoot 36% from beyond the arc, which is good for 126th in the NCAA. They are 6th in D-1 in rebounding with 44.1 boards per contest and 112th in assists per game with 14.9. The Bruins are 246th in turnovers per contest with 12.6. The Bruins give up 71.8 points per game, which ranks them 189th in Division 1. Their defense surrenders a 38% shooting percentage and a 32% average from behind the 3-point line, ranking them 24th and 122nd in those defensive statistics. They rank 238th with 14.0 dimes allowed per game and 238th with 36.4 boards surrendered per contest. The Bruins are 32nd in the nation in forcing turnovers with 11.4 per contest this year.

Advanced Statistics

The Fighting Irish are 54th in the nation in offensive rating with 112.8. In terms of pace they are 248th in the country with 69.2 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 48% is 273rd. As a team they are 240th in college basketball in true shooting percentage with 53% and they shoot 3-pointers on 41% of their shots, ranking 104th in Division 1. Notre Dame is 348th in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 11.3 times per 100 possessions.

Advanced Statistics

UCLA is 281st in college basketball in turnovers, as they turn the ball over an average of 14.5 times per 100 possessions. The Bruins are 73rd in the country in offensive rating with 111.3. In terms of pace they are 46th in Division 1 with 75.1 possessions per 40 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 54% is 101st. As a team they are 125th in D-1 in true shooting percentage with 56% and they shoot 3-pointers on 34% of their shots, ranking 287th in the nation.

Who will win tonight's Notre Dame/UCLA college basketball game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take Notre Dame +5.5

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