UCLA Bruins vs California Golden Bears Prediction, 1/21/2021 College Basketball Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: UCLA Bruins vs California Golden Bears

Date: Thursday, January 21, 2021

Location: Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, CA

TV: ESPNU

Odds/Point Spread: UCLA (-9.5)

The UCLA Bruins (11-2) are headed to Haas Pavilion on Thursday where they'll take on the California Golden Bears (7-8). California opens this game as 9.5-point underdogs. The total has been set at 135.5.

UCLA will enter this game with a mark of 11-2 this year. They currently have an average of 77.8 points per game (76th in Division 1) on 46.6% from the field. The Bruins are shooting 38.6% on shots from 3-point land (93 of 241) and 73.8% from the charity stripe. As a team, UCLA is collecting 37.2 boards per game and has accounted for 201 dimes on the season, which is 54th in D-1 in terms of passing. They lose possession by turning the ball over 10.9 times per game and as a group they are committing 15.9 fouls every game. Defensively, the Bruins are able to force 12.5 turnovers per game and they draw 20.5 personal fouls. They are currently ranked 193rd in college hoops in giving up assists with 152 relinquished for the campaign. The Bruins are giving up and opponent field goal percentage of 43.2% (326 of 755) and they concede 31.2 boards per game as a group. They give up 31.0% on shots from downtown and they rank 137th in college basketball in opponents points per game (68.6).

The UCLA Bruins took the court against the Washington Huskies and went home with a win by a final score of 81-76 in their last game. UCLA ended the contest having earned a 41.4% field goal percentage (29 out of 70) and made 9 out of their 20 shots from 3-point land. At the charity stripe, the Bruins converted 14 of 17 attempts for a rate of 82.4%. When talking about getting rebounds, they earned 39 with 13 of them being offensive. They also recorded 17 dimes in the matchup in addition to getting 5 steals and 2 rejections. In reference to defending, UCLA allowed 41.4% from the field on 29 of 70 shooting. Washington doled out 13 assists and had 4 steals in this game. In addition, the Huskies pulled down 28 rebounds (4 offensive, 24 defensive) and had 2 blocks. Washington finished shooting 60.0% at the free throw line by knocking down 6 of their 10 attempts. They made 10 of their 23 shots from three-point range.

Jules Bernard is a player who was important in the matchup. He accounted for 20 points on 6 out of 13 shooting. He played 33 mins and grabbed 9 rebounds. Bernard ended up shooting 46.2% from the floor and dished out 2 assists. One more player that was a major factor in this matchup for the Bruins was Jaime Jaquez . He collected 5 rebounds and also had 2 assists. He ended up shooting 50.0% from the floor for the matchup by shooting 7-of-14 (15 points). Overall, played for 36 minutes.

California has a win-loss mark of 7-8 on the campaign. In terms of offensive execution, the Golden Bears are connecting on 45.6% from the floor, which has them ranked 120th in the nation. California has 1,027 points on the year (68.5 per game) and they pull down 32.3 rebounds per game. They are earning an assist 13.1 times per contest (197th in college basketball) and they are turning it over 13.5 times per game. The Golden Bears are responsible for committing 17.4 personal fouls every game and they hit 66.4% from the free throw line. The Golden Bears are ranked 169th in the nation in points per game surrendered with 69.9. They are forcing 12.5 turnovers per game and have allowed teams to shoot 45.6% from the floor (269th in college hoops). The California defense concedes 39.3% from downtown (120 of 305) and their opponents are making 71.4% of their free throw shots. They allow 14.3 assists and 32.8 boards every game, which ranks them 255th and 84th in those defensive categories.

When they last stepped on the hardwood, the California Golden Bears got the victory with a final of 72-63 when they faced the Utah Utes. The Golden Bears were able to collect 21 defensive boards and 6 offensive rebounds totaling 27 in the game. They also turned away 3 tries while earning 6 steals for the matchup. The Utes committed 19 fouls in this game which took the Golden Bears to the free throw line for a total of 19 shots. They were able to knock down 14 of them for a percentage of 73.7%. In relation to shooting from 3-point land, California converted 8 out of their 24 tries (33.3%). In all, the Golden Bears finished the game shooting 25 out of 53 from the floor which had them sitting at 47.2%. The Golden Bears allowed the Utes to knock down 21 of 51 tries from the floor which gave them a percentage of 41.2% for the matchup. They shot 26.1% from three-point range by connecting on 6 of 23 and finished the contest at 15 out of 16 from the free throw line (93.8%). In relation to rebounding, California allowed Utah to snag 28 overall (5 on the offensive glass).

Grant Anticevich ended up having an impact for the Golden Bears for the contest. He buried 6 out of 10 for this contest for a field goal rate of 60.0%, which gave him 14 points. Anticevich grabbed 7 rebounds in his 31 minutes played and accumulated 2 dimes in this contest. Someone else that ended up playing a role for California was Makale Foreman. He was able to score 12 points in his 27 minutes played by going 3 of 10 from the floor for this contest. Foreman finished going 30.0% from the floor while earning 2 dimes and 2 boards.

Who will win tonight's college basketball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take UCLA (-9.5)

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