Minnesota Keeps Fighting

Minnesota hasn’t had the best season, but they have kept fighting, and have had a couple of surprising wins. On Saturday, the Golden Gophers went on the road, and they were able to knock off the USC Trojans 69-66. At halftime, they were down 38-29, but they fought back in the second half and were able to win. Minnesota shot 43.9 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from behind the three-point line. Lu’Cye Patterson has been playing really well, and he scored 25 points, three rebounds, and two assists. The most impressive part of the win was that Dawson Garcia, Minnesota’s best player had only seven points. 

Minnesota sits with a 12-12 record overall and they have gone 7-15-2 against the spread. Away from home this season they have gone 2-4 straight up. The Gophers are averaging 69 points while their defense is giving up 69.6 points per game. The offense is ranked 300th in the league while the defense is ranked 112th. Garcia has been the best player, and he’s averaging 19.2 points while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from behind the three-point line. 

UCLA Coming Off Solid Win

UCLA, two games ago against Illinois, was knocked off, but they bounced back in a big way in the last game. UCLA faced off against Indiana on the road and they scored 72 points on the way to the four-point victory. In the second half, the defense gave up 43 points, but they still held on for the win. Tyler Bildeau had a strong game putting up 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists. There were three different players that put up at least 10 points. In this game, UCLA is going to need to have a balanced attack. 

UCLA comes into this game with an 18-7 record overall and they have gone 14-10-1 against the spread. At home this season they have gone 13-1 straight up. UCLA is averaging 75.5 points while their defense is giving up 64.8 points per game. The offense is ranked 138th in the league while the defense is ranked 23rd. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14.2 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. UCLA will take on Ohio State and Purdue after this game. 

Why UCLA Will Beat Minnesota

• UCLA has won each of its last 10 night games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Minnesota has lost 11 of its last 14 night games against Conference opponents.
• Minnesota has lost the first half in each of its last five games against Conference opponents.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Minnesota’s last eight night games against non-AP-ranked opponents has produced a total of 130+ points.
• Seven of UCLA’s last eight night games against non-AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 140+ points.

UCLA vs Minnesota Prediction

Minnesota is coming off a big win against the USC Trojans, but right when you start to trust them, they fall off, and that’s exactly what is going to happen again here. Minnesota is averaging 69 points per game, but UCLA’s defense is going to step up in a big way here. UCLA will find a way to slow down Darson Garcia here. Minnesota’s defense will have no answer, and UCLA is going to cruise here. 

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Minnesota Prediction 2/18/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Indiana Hoosiers vs. UCLA Bruins game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this tonight’s UCLA Bruins vs. Indiana Hoosiers matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Picks

Captain-Oumar Ballo, Forward, Indiana Hoosiers $10,400

Senior forward Oumar Ballo has certainly been a solid player for the Indiana Hoosiers this season. With that said, how has the talented young forward performed from a statistical perspective in 2024? Let’s review Oumar Ballo’s game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season to answer that question.

In the 24 games that forward Oumar Ballo has played for the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Ballo is averaging 13.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 blocks and 0.6 steals a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 24 games that Oumar Ballo has played for the Indiana Hoosiers this season, Ballo has compiled a field goal percentage of 64.6% and a free throw percentage of 59.5%.

More recently, in the Indiana Hoosiers 71-67 victory over the Michigan State Spartans three days ago, Indiana forward Oumar Ballo played exceptionally well. Ballo amassed a massive 14 points, ten rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in the Indiana Hoosiers win over the Michigan State Spartans.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Indiana Hoosiers victory over the Michigan State Spartans just mentioned, Oumar Ballo tallied 31.5 Draftkings points.

In my opinion, Oumar Ballo is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in today’s NCAA regular season game. Having stated that, I am backing Indiana forward Oumar Ballo at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Eric Dailey Jr., Guard, UCLA Bruins $8,800

Sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. has certainly been a key contributor for the UCLA Bruins this season. Let’s take a look at Dailey Jr.’s game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season to better shed light on my previous statement.

In the 24 games that guard Eric Dailey Jr. has played for the UCLA Bruins in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Dailey Jr. is averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 steals 0.3 blocks a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 24 games that Eric Dailey Jr. has played for the UCLA Bruins this season, Dailey Jr. has compiled a field goal percentage of 52%, a three-point percentage of 37.5% and a free throw percentage of 73.1.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Kobe Johnson, Guard (UCLA Bruins) $10,200: Luke Goode, Forward (Indiana Hoosiers) $6,600.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: UCLA vs. Indiana 2/14/25" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The Bruins have one rough patch of games in December/January in the books, but otherwise, they’re playing quite well overall. UCLA opened on a 10-1 run, falling to only New Mexico with wins versus Rider, Boston U, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Prairie View during that time. A 1-5 run came next with a lone win over Gonzaga mixed among losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland, and Rutgers. The Bruins were able to kick off another win streak from there, taking out Iowa, Wisconsin, Washington, USC, Oregon, Michigan State, and Penn State in the next seven games. That gave UCLA a solid 18-6 overall run through their first 24 games of the year.

In their Tuesday matchup with Illinois, UCLA went into the locker room with a 31-25 deficit. The Bruins kept the pace from there on 53 more points but couldn’t close the gap in the end during a loss 83-78 in the end. Tyler Bilodeau topped the team with his 25 points, three rebounds, and two steals in the losing effort. Kobe Johnson added 14 points with four rebounds in 23 minutes, while Sebastian Mack led the bench scoring with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 29 minutes out on the court.

Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview

Over on the Indiana side, they got off to a pretty impressive start this year but they’ve struggled since mid-January amid a tricky Big Ten slate. The Hoosiers opened on a 13-3 run, falling to only Louisville, Gonzaga and Nebraska. The wins otherwise were versus SIU Edwardsville, Eastern Illinois, South Carolina, UNC Greensboro, Providence, Sam Houston, Miami Ohio, Minnesota, Chattanooga, Winthrop, Rutgers, Penn State, and USC during that time. Indiana’s next eight games were a rough 1-7 skid. The lone win came versus Ohio State in OT. The losses were versus Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern, Maryland, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Through 24 games the result was a 14-10 overall record for Indiana this year.

Matched up against Michigan State on Tuesday, the Hoosiers came into the second half with a three-point edge. Indiana posted a 39-38 advantage the rest of the way and pulled off a nice road victory 71-67. Malik Reneau posted 19 points with 12 rebounds for a double-double off the bench. Oumar Ballo doubled up as well on 14 points with 10 boards and two assists. Luke Goode chipped in with 10 points, four steals and three rebounds also.

Indiana vs UCLA Prediction

I’ll lean toward UCLA. The Bruins are coming off a tough loss on the road versus a good Illinois team though, so they’ll need to get some spring in their proverbial step quickly. UCLA shot well (48.3 percent) in that defeat and only had eight total turnovers. The main issue was the 36-23 drubbing on the boards—not to mention the 50.9 percent shooting allowed by the Bruins. The loss snaps a seven-game win streak, during which the Bruins had scored 78 or more points in five of those outings. Another big total like that would put UCLA right in it Friday.

As for Indiana, they bagged a nice road win versus a tough Michigan State team in their last outing. The Hoosiers shot 48 percent from the field in that one, while allowing the Spartans just 38.2 percent on the other side. It was Indiana’s first win over a ranked team this year, and they’ll be riding high for a while. That said, if UCLA can get off to a quick start and hit the glass a little better I think the Bruins will be right in this matchup the whole way.

Read the rest of "Indiana vs UCLA Prediction 2/14/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The UCLA Bruins beat Michigan State and Penn State, and they play Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio State next. The UCLA Bruins are averaging 75.5 points on 46.8 percent shooting and allowing 63.9 points on 42.4 percent shooting. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 13.8 points and 4.5 rebounds, while Eric Dailey Jr. is averaging 12 points and 4.2 rebounds. Sebastian Mack is dishing 1.7 assists and Kobe Johnson is grabbing 5.9 rebounds. The UCLA Bruins are shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc and 70.7 percent from the free throw line. The UCLA Bruins are allowing 31.5 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 29.7 rebounds per game.

Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview

The Illinois Fighting Illini lost to Rutgers, beat Minnesota, and they play Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Duke next. The Illinois Fighting Illini are averaging 85.2 points on 45 percent shooting and allowing 71 points on 39.6 percent shooting. Kasparas Jakucionis is averaging 15.6 points and 5.5 rebounds, while Tomislav Ivisic is averaging 13 points and 8.6 rebounds. Will Riley is the third double-digit scorer and Kylan Boswell is grabbing 5.3 rebounds. The Illinois Fighting Illini are shooting 31.3 percent from beyond the arc and 75.4 percent from the free throw line. The Illinois Fighting Illini are allowing 30.1 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 42 rebounds per game.

Illinois vs UCLA Injury Report

UCLA will continue to be without Christian Horry, Eric Freeney, Devin Williams, and Evan Manjikian. Illinois will be without Ty Rodgers, while Tre White and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn are questionable.

Illinois vs UCLA Prediction

Illinois is the more talented team, but this line isn’t showing much respect toward UCLA, a team that’s won seven straight games and has three road wins. UCLA is a top-100 offensive field goal percentage team and top-20 in scoring defense. Illinois has been hit or miss recently, which includes losses to Rutgers and Nebraska in the favorite role. UCLA has outright won three of its last five games as an underdog. The UCLA Bruins are balanced enough to steal this game on the road. Either way, I expect a close game and the points should come in handy. Give me UCLA on Tuesday.

Read the rest of "Illinois vs UCLA Prediction 2/11/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Preview

Coming into the new calendar year, the Nittany Lions were looking great in the record column. Amid a tough stretch of difficult Big Ten matchups however, Penn State has faltered recently. The Lions took out Binghamton, UMBC, St. Francis PA, Virginia Tech, Fort Wayne, Fordham, Buffalo, Purdue, Coppin State, Drexel, Penn and Northwestern during a nice 12-2 opening run. The only losses in that time were versus Clemson and Rutgers. Since January 2 Penn State has won just one game (versus Rutgers). The losses otherwise were versus Indiana, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State and Minnesota in succession, giving the Lions a 13-10 overall run through the first 23 outings of the 2024-25 season.

In the Minnesota game on Tuesday, Penn State hit a 25-21 advantage in the first half. The Nittany Lions faltered from there on a 48-36 deficit however, eventually losing 69-61 in the end. leading the team in scoring was D’Marco Dunn with 18 points, six boards, three assists and a steal in 32 minutes off the bench. Zach Hicks (four rebounds; one assist) and Ace Baldwin (two rebounds; five assists; one steal) each chipped in with 11 points to lead the starters.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

Over on the UCLA side, they had a pretty rough stretch of games in December/January but they’ve recovered well since then. The Bruins hit a 10-1 opening run with a loss to New Mexico amid wins over Rider, Boston U, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona and Prairie View. A 1-5 run came next with a win over Gonzaga amid losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland and Rutgers. UCLA has recovered since then with wins over Iowa, Wisconsin, Washington, USC, Oregon and Michigan State, giving the team a 17-6 record through their first 23 outings this year.

Matched up against Michigan State in their Tuesday outing, the Bruins were up by seven points heading into the second half. UCLA fell back a bit in the second on a 33-28 deficit but still pulled off the tight home win 63-61. Skyy Clark led the team on 14 points with three rebounds and three assists. Tyler Bilodeau added 13 points with four rebounds and a pair of steals, while Lazar Stefanovic had eight points with one assist in 13 minutes of work off the bench.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• UCLA has won each of its last 10 games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Penn State has lost eight of its last nine games.
• UCLA has won the first half in each of its last nine games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Why the Penn State Nittany Lions will win

• UCLA has lost six of its last seven day games against the Big Ten Conference.
• Penn State has won four of its last five day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Penn State has won the first half in four of its last five day games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

UCLA vs Penn State Prediction

I’ll lean toward UCLA. The Bruins played a nice game versus Michigan State in order to get their latest upset win, but it wasn’t pretty. UCLA shot just 35 percent from the field with a 45-27 rebounding deficit. That said, the Bruins also held the Spartans to just 37.7 percent shooting on the other side and scored 19 points off 16 Michigan State turnovers. The 63 points were the Bruins’ lowest total since the January 10 loss to Maryland (61) but a win is a win.

As for Penn State, they didn’t look too bad in their loss to Minnesota initially, however they faded down the stretch. The Lions ended up shooting just 34.5 percent from the field with a 35-30 rebounding disadvantage and 11 turnovers for 10 Gophers points. Penn State has scored just 125 combined points over hate last two outings, and they’ve given up 69 or more points in 10 straight games (a 2-8 run). I’d like to see UCLA score a little better on Saturday, but the Bruins should be in a pretty good position to power one out here and keep their run going. If Penn State can bounce back and play well though, we’ll have a pretty solid matchup on our hands.

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Penn State Prediction 2/8/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Michigan State Fell Short

Michigan State faced off against USC in the last game and they ended up falling short. Michigan scored 64 points against USC but the defense gave up 70 points and that led to the defeat. At halftime, they were down 35-32 and they couldn’t bounce back in the second half, and that led to the defeat. Michigan State shot 42.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the three-point line. Jeremy Fears Jr put up 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists. 

Michigan State currently sits with an 18-3 record overall and they have gone 13-8 against the spread. The over has hit in only eight of the games. Michigan State is averaging 80.4 points while their defense is giving up 67.3 points per game. The offense is ranked 47th in the league while the defense is ranked 60th in the league. Jaden Atkins has been the top player for Michigan State averaging 13.5 points while shooting 42.7 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from behind the three-point line. 

UCLA has Confidence

UCLA has all kinds of confidence right now and they have won five games in a row. Two games ago against USC, they won 82-76 and in the last game against Oregon, they won 78-52. The offense was good in the last game, but the defense was even more impressive and that led to the easy victory. Eric Dailey Jr had a strong game putting up 21 points and four rebounds. There were three different players that put up at least 15 points. 

UCLA comes into this game with a 16-6 record overall and they have gone 12-2 against the spread. The over has hit in nine of the games. UCLA is averaging 76 points while their defense is giving up 64.5 points per game. The offense is ranked 134th in the league while the defense is ranked 21st in the league. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14 points while shooting 50.9 percent from the field. UCLA will face Penn State following this one.

UCLA vs Michigan State Prediction

Michigan State has lost some confidence and UCLA has all kinds of confidence right now. ULCA’s defense is giving up 64.5 points per game and their defense is going to step up in a big way here. Michigan State isn’t going to use their balanced offense, and it’s going to be UCLA that gets the job done. This could be a game where Michigan State finished with only 50 or 52 points. Back UCLA against the spread. 

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Michigan State Prediction 2/4/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this this evening’s Oregon Ducks vs. UCLA Bruins matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Picks

Captain-Eric Dailey Jr., Guard, UCLA Bruins $8,800

Sophomore guard Eric Dailey Jr. has certainly been a solid player for the UCLA Bruins this season. With that said, how has the talented young guard performed from a statistical perspective? Let’s review Eric Dailey Jr.’s game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season to answer that question.

In the 20 games that guard Eric Dailey Jr. has played for the UCLA Bruins in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Dailey Jr. is averaging a robust 12.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.3 blocks a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 20 games that Eric Dailey Jr. has played for the UCLA Bruins this season, Dailey Jr. has compiled a field goal percentage of 52.4%, a three-point percentage of 35.8% and a free throw percentage of 73.7%.

More recently, in the UCLA Bruins 82-76 win over the USC Trojans three days ago, Dailey Jr. played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Dailey Jr. amassed 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals in the UCLA Bruins victory over the USC Trojans.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Bruins win over the Trojans, Eric Dailey Jr. tallied 29.1 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my view, Eric Dailey Jr. is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. Having stated that, I am backing UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Tyler Bilodeau, Forward, UCLA Bruins $6,200

In addition to Eric Dailey Jr. forward Tyler Bilodeau has been a key contributor to the UCLA Bruins overall success this season.

In the 20 games that forward Tyler Bilodeau has played for the UCLA Bruins in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Bilodeau is averaging 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Kobe Johnson, Guard (UCLA Bruins) $9,000: Nate Bittle, Guard (Oregon Ducks) $10,800: TJ Bamba, Guard (Oregon Ducks) $8,400.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Oregon vs. UCLA 1/30/25" at Sports Chat Place

Oregon Ducks Betting Preview

The Ducks have been a remarkably consistent team in the win column for most of the season. That said, they’ve had some issues over the last few games. Oregon opened up the 2024-25 season with a nice run, taking out UC Riverside, Montana, Portland, Troy, Oregon State, Texas A&M, San Diego State, Alabama, and USC in succession over the first nine outings. A 3-2 stretch ensued with losses to UCLA and Illinois bookending wins over Stephen F. Austin, Stanford, and Weber State. After beating Maryland, Ohio State, and Penn State in the next trio, the Ducks hit a 1-2 stretch. The lone win in that time was over Washington. Otherwise, it was losses to Purdue and Minnesota which dropped Oregon to 16-4 on the year so far.

In the Minnesota game over the weekend, the Ducks hit a 44-38 deficit in the first half. Oregon didn’t end up getting any closer in the second, riding a 33-31 finish to a 77-69 road loss in the end. Leading the team in scoring during the losing effort was Brandon Angel with 18 points and five rebounds. Both Jackson Shelstad (one assist; one steal) and TJ Bamba (three rebounds; four assists; two steals) rounded out the double-digit scorers with 15 points each.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

Over on the UCLA side, they kicked off their season on a great run, then hit some turbulence starting in late December. The Bruins have been able to right the ship over the last four games, though. UCLA won 10 of their first 11 games, falling to only New Mexico with wins otherwise versus Rider, Boston U, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Prairie View in that time. A rough 1-5 stretch ensued with a lone win over Gonzaga. Otherwise, it was losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland, and Rutgers in that time. Since then, however, UCLA has had four straight wins. Those have come in succession versus Iowa, Wisconsin, Washington, and USC. The result so far has been a 15-6 overall record through the first 21 games of the year for the Bruins.

Matched up against USC on Monday, the Bruins went into the locker room with a 42-37 edge. UCLA kept it up in the second on a 40-39 advantage and eventually powered out the road win 82-76. Tops in scoring was Eric Dailey with 16 points, six rebounds and two steals. Sebastian Mack added 14 points with three rebounds and one assist, while Aday Mara doubled up on 12 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and two assists in 27 minutes of work on the floor.

UCLA vs Oregon Prediction

I’m staying with UCLA I suppose. This one should be a pretty good matchup overall if both teams play to their capabilities, though. The Bruins took care of a tricky USC team pretty well in their last outing, notching a nice 54.9 percent shooting from the floor with a 29-25 rebounding edge and just nine turnovers. UCLA was also solid from the line with a 20-of-25 (80 percent) result. During this four-game win streak, the Bruins have posted 82 or more points in three outings.

These teams have seen each other before during a 73-71 road win for the Bruins back on December 8. Both teams shot well in that one (over 45 percent) and Oregon held a 33-23 rebounding edge. The difference in the game, however, was the Ducks’ 13 turnovers for 16 Bruins points. UCLA can’t rely on mistakes this time around, but the comfortable home environment should help quite a bit. I like the Bruins to eke one out in a tight matchup.

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Oregon Prediction 1/30/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The Bruins kicked off the season on quite a strong run across their first 11 outings. UCLA would run into some trouble during a tough stretch in December and early January, but they’ve been able to right the ship since then. The Bruins went a smooth 10-1 in those first 11 games, losing to only New Mexico with wins otherwise versus Rider, Boston U, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Prairie View. After a loss to North Carolina and a win over Gonzaga, the Bruins hit a four-game losing streak. Those losses were versus Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland, and Rutgers in succession. Since then UCLA has cleaned up their act on a three-game winning streak versus Iowa, Wisconsin, and Washington for a 14-6 overall run through the first 20 outings of the season.

Matched up against Washington on Friday, the Bruins held a 36-32 edge after the first half. UCLA kept the pace from there, notching a 29-28 advantage the rest of the way for a 65-60 victory in the end. Tops in scoring among the starters was Skyy Clark with 12 points, six boards, three assists, and two steals. Aday Mara came off the bench for 12 points as well, posting seven rebounds and five blocks in 30 minutes of work on the court.

USC Trojans Betting Preview

Over on the USC side, they’ve had a couple of rough stretches this season so far. The Trojans also have some solid runs in comparison, however, and they’ve beaten a few very good teams. USC fell to only Cal in their first six outings, beating Chattanooga, Idaho State, Texas Arlington, San Jose State, and Grambling otherwise. After losses to Saint Mary’s, New Mexico, and Oregon, the Trojans took out Washington, Montana State, Cal State Northridge, and Southern in the next four. Since then it’s been a 3-3 stretch for USC. The wins have come courtesy of Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. The losses otherwise were versus Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin, giving the Trojans a 12-7 overall run through 19 games so far.

In their Wednesday outing versus Nebraska, the Trojans hit a 33-31 deficit in the first half. USC recovered in the second however, making the comeback on a 47-40 run for a 78-73 victory in the end. Leading the team in scoring during the win was Desmond Claude with 21 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Wesley Yates added 17 points with four steals, while Rashaun Agee came off the bench for 14 points, eight rebounds, and a steal in 22 minutes of work.

Why the USC Trojans will win

• USC has won seven of its last eight night games at Galen Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• UCLA has lost five of its last six games at Galen Center.
• USC has won the first half in each of its last nine night games at Galen Center.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• UCLA has won nine of its last 11 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• UCLA has won the first half in 10 of its last 11 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

USC vs UCLA Prediction

I’ll lean toward USC in this one. We should have a good matchup here regardless, though. The Trojans hit the road and took out a decent Nebraska team in their last outing thanks to 44.3 percent shooting and 18-of-22 from the line (81.8 percent). The 36-31 rebounding advantage and 16 points off 11 Cornhuskers turnovers really helped out as well. During this current 3-1 stretch, USC has notched 78 or more points in all three wins. The Trojans have also scored a nice 69 or more points in 10 straight games (a 7-3 run).

As for UCLA, they shot a tepid 41.1 percent from the field with a 35-34 rebounding deficit in their last matchup versus Washington. The Bruins took advantage of 14 Huskies turnovers for 15 points though, which helped make the difference in the victory. UCLA has been below 69 points in five of their last eight games though, and they’ve given up 70 or more points in five of the last six. Should be a fun one to watch; I like USC slightly better but it’s a coin flip.

Read the rest of "USC vs UCLA Prediction 1/27/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The Bruins kicked off the season on a highly consistent run but then suffered a rough losing streak at the beginning of January. UCLA has since regained their composure in the last couple of games, however. The Bruins opened up on a 10-1 run, losing to only New Mexico among wins versus Rider, Boston U, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Prairie View A&M. A 1-5 run came after that with a lone win over Gonzaga on December 28. Otherwise, it was losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, Michigan, Maryland, and Rutgers during that time. Since then UCLA has recovered with victories over Iowa and Wisconsin in successive games. That gives the Bruins a 13-6 overall record so far this season through 19 games.

On Tuesday in their matchup with Wisconsin, the Bruins were down 41-36 by halftime. UCLA recovered from there, however, posting a 49-42 second-half run on the way to a big victory 85-83 in the end. Aday Mara came off the bench to post 22 points with five rebounds and two assists to lead the team. Sebastian Mack added 19 points with four rebounds and two assists off the bench, while Tyler Bilodeau led the starters with 16 points and two rebounds. UCLA will take on USC, Oregon, Michigan State, and Penn State after this game. 

Washington Huskies Betting Preview

Over on the Washington side, they opened up the season on a great run, then hit a middling stretch in December. Since then the Huskies have struggled in the win column amid a gauntlet of extremely tough top-tier opponents. Washington went 6-1 out of the gate with a lone loss to Nevada amid wins over UC Davis, Seattle Pacific, UMass Lowell, Alcorn State, Colorado State, and Santa Clara otherwise. A 4-3 stretch came next with losses to UCLA, USC, and Seattle U among wins over Eastern Washington, Washington State, NJIT, and Maryland in that time. Since then, however, Washington has hit the skids on a five-game losing streak. The defeats in that time came courtesy of Illinois, Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, and Oregon, giving the Huskies a 10-9 overall run through the first 19 games of their season so far.

Matched up against Oregon in the Tuesday outing, the Huskies held a 34-32 disadvantage after the first half. Washington hit a 48-39 deficit the rest of the way, unfortunately, and didn’t end up getting any closer in an 82-71 loss. Leading the scoring was Great Osobor with 20 points, eight boards, and three assists. Zoom Diallo added 18 points with three rebounds and three assists, while Tyler Harris posted 15 points with two rebounds and two assists.

Why the Washington Huskies will win

• Washington has won nine of its last 10 night games at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• UCLA has lost four of its last five games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• The home team has won the first half in each of the last four games between UCLA and Washington.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• Washington has lost 11 of its last 12 games against the Big Ten Conference.
• UCLA has won 10 of its last 11 games against Washington.
• UCLA has won the first half in nine of its last 10 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Washington vs UCLA Prediction

I’m staying with UCLA. The Bruins need to avoid the “big-win hangover” problem here, but if all goes well they’ll represent another tricky matchup for the Huskies. UCLA shot a nice 50.9 percent from the field with 10 points off 13 Badgers turnovers in their upset win over Wisconsin. The rebounding (a 28-25 deficit) could have been better, but that’s about the only issue in an otherwise solid performance—unless you count the fairly permissive defense allowing 83 points. In any case, UCLA is back to scoring well themselves after a bit of a lull. The Bruins have posted a combined 179 points across their last two outings.

As for Washington, they’ll finally get a beatable opponent at home following five straight games versus ranked squads (three of those coming on the road). The Huskies notched a respectable 71 or more points in three of those five games, however, they also allowed 81 or more points in four of them (69 in the outlier versus Purdue). UCLA should have room enough to score well here, and I like the Bruins to eke one out. Should be a pretty solid matchup regardless, though.

Read the rest of "Washington vs UCLA Prediction 1/24/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Wisconsin Recap

The Wisconsin Badgers come into this game looking to build on their 84-69 win over USC last time out to improve to 15-3 on the year. After this game, Wisconsin will head home for a game against Nebraska.

Badgers Win 7^th In A Row

John Tonje leads the Badgers in scoring with 17.2 PPG along with 4.8 RPG while John Blackwell has 16.1 PPG with 4.8 RPG and 2.3 APG. Nolan Winter has 10.7 PPG with 6.1 RPG to lead the Badgers in rebounding while Max Klesmit has 10.5 PPG with a team-high 2.9 APG to lead the Badgers in the assist department up to this point in the year. Steven Crowl has 10.4 PPG with 5.5 RPG to cap off the scoring in double figures for Wisconsin so far this season. As a team, Wisconsin is averaging 82.4 PPG on 47% shooting from the field, 34.6% from behind the three-point line, and 85.5% from the foul line so far this season.

Why the Wisconsin Badgers will win

• Wisconsin has won each of its last seven games.
• UCLA has lost each of its last six night games against AP-ranked opponents.

UCLA Recap

The UCLA Bruins come into this game looking to build on their 94-70 win over Iowa last time out to improve to 12-6 on the year. After this game, UCLA will head back on the road for a game against the Washington Huskies.

Bruins Looking To Build Momentum

Tyler Bilodeau leads the Bruins in scoring with 14.6 PPG along with 5 RPG while Eric Dailey Jr. has 12.2 PPG with 4.2 RPG as the only other double-digit scorer for UCLA up to this point in the year. Sebastian Mack has 9.9 PPG while Dylan Andrews has 7.1 PPG with 2.4 APG and Kobe Johnson chipped in 8.1 PPG with team-highs of 5.8 RPG and 3.3 APG as well as 1.9 SPG to lead the Bruins in rebounding, assists and steals as well this season. As a team, UCLA is averaging 75.7 PPG on 46.8% shooting from the field, 33.3% from three, and 69.9% from the foul line this season.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• UCLA has won each of its last 25 night games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon following a home win.
• Wisconsin has lost four of its last five road night games against the Big Ten Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Each of UCLA’s last four games against AP-ranked opponents at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon have produced a total of 143+ points.
• Each of Wisconsin’s last three night games against Conference opponents have produced a total of 139 or fewer points.

UCLA vs Wisconsin Prediction

I’m with Wisconsin here. UCLA finally broke out last time out against Iowa, but I honestly think that game was more about UCLA catching Iowa in a bad spot as the Hawkeyes have just had major issues on the road. Wisconsin’s passed a lot of tests with flying colors including a dominant showing over USC last time out, and the Badgers also got to stay on the West Coast as opposed to dealing with the brutal travel schedules that a lot of teams face with the addition of USC, UCLA, and Washington to the Big Ten. I think that We’re getting points with the better team here so I’ll gladly take them with Wisconsin in this one.

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Wisconsin Prediction 1/21/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA is Suddenly Struggling

UCLA is suddenly struggling heading into this game and they lost four games in a row. Two games ago against Maryland, they lost 79-61, and in the last game against Rutgers, they lost 75-68. UCLA’s defense hasn’t been as good as late and they are going to need the defense to be a whole lot better here. Earlier in the season they leaned on the defense and they need to get back to playing defense here. Eric Dailey Jr had a strong game putting up 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists. 

At home this season they sit with an 11-6 record and they have gone 9-8 against the spread. The over has hit in six of the 17 games played this season. UCLA is averaging 74.6 points while their defense is giving up 63.4 points per game. The offense is ranked 198th in the league while the defense is ranked 19th. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14.4 points while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from behind the three-point line. 

Iowa Looks to Bounce Back

Iowa had won two games in a row heading into the last game but they are coming off a loss in the last game. Iowa scored 89 points but the defense gave up 99 points and that led to the defeat. At halftime, they were down 48-32 and in the second half they fought back but they ended up losing by 10 points. Iowa shot 53.3 percent from the field but they allowed USC to shoot 64.9 percent from behind the field. Two games ago against Indiana, the offense scored 85 points and they ended up winning by 25 points. 

Iowa on the season is averaging 89.5 points while their defense is giving up 78 points per game. The offense is ranked 1st in the league while the defense is ranked 323rd. This is a team that can score, but the defense has been a major issue. Owen Freeman has been the top player for Iowa averaging 17.1 points while shooting 64.3 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from behind the three-point line. Iowa will face Minnesota, Penn State, and Ohio State following this one. 

Why Iowa Will Beat UCLA

• UCLA has lost each of its last four games against the Big Ten Conference.
• Iowa has won four of its last five night games following a road loss.

UCLA vs Iowa Prediction

Give me Iowa to keep it close. UCLA’s defense has not been as good the last couple of games, and that is going to be the difference here. Iowa’s offense is averaging 89.5 points per game and they are going to have no issue running up the score. Their defense might not be elite, but their offense is going to keep this game close and that will be enough to cover the spread. Back Iowa against the spread. 

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Iowa Prediction 1/17/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are 8-8 (1-4) this year after they lost to Purdue by a score of 68-50 in their last game. Rutgers trailed 33-24 at halftime and only scored 26 points in the second half in the loss. The Scarlet Knights shot 32.7% from the field, 30.4% on three-pointers, and 81.8% on free throws in the game. Ace Bailey led Rutgers with 17 points and seven rebounds, while Tyson Acuff added 10 points and five rebounds in the game. 

Prior to that loss, the Scarlet Knights lost to Wisconsin by a score of 75-63 and Indiana by a score of 84-74. Rutgers has lost three games in a row, but they did win three out of the previous four games. Rutgers has scored 76.4 points per game and they have allowed 74.6 points per game, while also averaging 36.9 rebounds and 13.4 assists per game this year. Dylan Harper is averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, while Ace Bailey is averaging 18.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game this season. Rutgers is shooting 44.5% from the field, 70.1% on free throws, and 32.6% on three-pointers this year.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The UCLA Bruins are 11-5 (2-3) this season after they lost to Maryland by a score of 79-61 in their last game. UCLA trailed 40-36 at halftime and they only scored 25 points in the second half in the loss. The Bruins shot 41.5% from the field, 33.3% on three-pointers, and 78.6% on free throws in the game. Tyler Bilodeau led UCLA with 18 points and four rebounds, while Trent Perry added 10 points and four rebounds in the loss. 

Prior to that game, the Bruins lost to Michigan by a score of 94-75 and Nebraska by a score of 66-58. UCLA has lost four of their last five games, but they did win the previous nine games. UCLA has scored 75.0 points per game and they have allowed 62.6 points per game, while also averaging 33.8 rebounds and 15.8 assists per game this season. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game, while Eric Dailey Jr. is averaging 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game this year. UCLA is shooting 46.1% from the field, 69.4% on free throws, and 33.3% on three-pointers this season. 

Why Rutgers will beat UCLA

• Rutgers has won 24 of its last 26 games at Jersey Mike’s Arena when playing with a rest advantage.
• UCLA has lost four of its last five games.
• UCLA has lost the first half in three of its last four games against the Big Ten Conference.

Total Points Facts

• Each of Rutgers’ last eight games against AP-ranked opponents at Jersey Mike’s Arena have produced a total of 134 or fewer points.
• Twenty-four of UCLA’s last 30 night games against non-AP-ranked opponents have produced a total of 136 or fewer points.

Matchup/League Facts

• Rutgers ranks 12th among Division 1 teams for opponent free throw percentage this season (65.9%).
• Rutgers ranks T28th among Division 1 teams for opponent steals per game this season (5.4).
• UCLA ranks 4th among Division 1 teams for opponent turnovers per game this season (17.6).
• UCLA ranks 5th among Division 1 teams for opponent field goal attempts per game this season (50.5).

Rutgers vs UCLA Prediction 

Both of these teams come into this matchup looking to snap a three-game losing streak, but Rutgers will be at home for this contest. Rutgers is shooting just 44.5% from the field this year and they have scored 50 and 63 points in their last two games. UCLA has very similar offensive numbers to Rutgers and they have scored 61 and 58 points in two of their last three games. The Bruins are one of the best defensive teams in the country, allowing just 62.6 points per game, but they have allowed 79 and 94 points in their last two games. This is such a big game for both teams, but I have to side with Rutgers at home. The Scarlet Knights have the offense to break down UCLA and I just don’t trust this UCLA offense on the road. Take Rutgers here. 

Read the rest of "Rutgers vs UCLA Prediction 1/13/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. UCLA Bruins game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this tomorrow evening’s UCLA Bruins vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Picks

Captain-Dylan Harper, Guard, Rutgers Scarlet Knights $9,400

Guard Dylan Haper has certainly been a solid player for the Rutger Scarlet Knights this season. With that said, how has the talented young guard performed from a statistical perspective in 2024? Let’s review Dylan Harper’s game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season to answer that question.

In the 15 games that guard Dylan Harper has played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Harper is averaging a robust 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game.

Looking closer at the data just presented, in the 15 games that Dylan Harper has played for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this season, Harper has compiled a field goal percentage of 50.7%, a three-point percentage of 35.2% and a free throw percentage of 75%.

More recently, in the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 91-64 win over the Columbia Lions two weeks ago, Dylan Harper played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Harper accumulated a massive 16 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals, and one block in the Rutger Scarlet Knights victory over the Columbia Lions.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Scarlet Knights win over the Lions, Dylan Harper tallied 61.8 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my view, Dylan Harper is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this tomorrow evening’s NCAA regular season game. Having stated that, I am backing Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Dylan Harper at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Tyler Bilodeau, Forward, UCLA Bruins $10,000

In the 15 games that forward Tyler Bilodeau has played for the UCLA Bruins in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Bilodeau is averaging 14.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Eric Dailey Jr., Guard (UCLA Bruins) $8,200: Tyson Acuff, Guard (Rutgers Scarlet Knights) $4,800.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: UCLA vs. Rutgers 1/13/25" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

This year the Bruins kicked off the year on a pretty great run, but they’ve struggled over the last handful of outings. UCLA beat Rider in their opener this season but then fell in game two to New Mexico. The Bruins would quickly find their footing on a nine-game win streak after that, taking out Boston University, Lehigh, Idaho State, Cal State Fullerton, Southern Utah, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Prairie View A&M in succession. The last quartet of games has been a 1-3 stretch, however. UCLA has a lone win over Gonzaga in that time. Otherwise, it’s been losses to North Carolina, Nebraska, and Michigan for an 11-4 record so far this year.

In the Michigan game on Tuesday, the Bruins were in trouble by halftime, hitting the locker room with a 47-37 deficit on their hands. UCLA was outpaced 47-38 the rest of the way and finished out with a sizable loss of 94-75 in the end. Leading the team in scoring were Tyler Bilodeau (five rebounds; three assists) and Sebastian Mack (seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench), each with 17 points. Eric Dailey added 13 points with two steals and two rebounds, while Kobe Johnson had 12 points with four rebounds and three assists in 33 minutes.

Maryland Terrapins Betting Preview

Over on the Maryland side, they similarly got off to a very nice start this season, however, the Terrapins haven’t found any success so far this calendar year. Maryland beat Manhattan, Mount St. Mary’s, and Florida A&M in their first three games before a loss to Marquette. A win streak over Canisius, Villanova, Bucknell, Alcorn State, and Ohio State ensued over the next five games, then another loss to Purdue. Maryland got back on the proverbial horse with another win streak from there, taking out St. Francis PA, Syracuse, and Maryland Eastern Shore in succession. In the last two games, the Terrapins have recorded a couple of losses however, falling versus Washington and Oregon for an 11-4 overall record so far this year.

Matched up against Oregon on Sunday, the Terrapins played fairly well on the road against a tough opponent, all things considered. Maryland went into the locker room with a 45-42 edge but got outpaced the rest of the way 41-34 and lost 83-79 in the end. Leading the team in scoring was Rodney Rice with 19 points, three boards, and four assists. Derik Queen added 17 points with five rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and two steals, while Ja’Kobi Gillespie chipped in with 16 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal on 28 minutes of work.

Why the Maryland Terrapins will win

• Maryland has won each of its last six games at XFINITY Center.
• UCLA has lost three of its last four games.
• Maryland has won the first half in each of its last 11 games at XFINITY Center.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• UCLA has won each of its last seven night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• Maryland has lost each of its last six night games against AP-ranked opponents.
• UCLA has won the first half in each of its last seven night games against non-AP-ranked opponents.

Maryland vs UCLA Prediction

I’ll just stay with Maryland here. The Terrapins are sitting on a couple of tough road losses versus tricky teams in their last two outings, but to their credit, they’ve played pretty well in that pair. In the loss to Oregon on Sunday, Maryland shot a nice 47.5 percent from the field with 30 rebounds and 16 team assists. The 51.8 percent shooting allowed on the other side was just too much, however. The good news is that the Terrapins are scoring quite well this year; they’ve hit 69 or more points in every game so far, and 74 or more in 14 of 15 outings.

As for UCLA, they were blitzed by a tough Michigan team in their last game, eventually surrendering a blistering 61.5 percent shooting from the field and 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from outside. The Bruins are generally a good scoring team this year themselves, but they’ve been prone to a few duds here and there: fewer than 66 points in three of the last six. I like both teams to score well in a fairly high total on Friday, with Maryland powering it out at home. Should be a fun one.

Read the rest of "Maryland vs UCLA Prediction 1/10/25 College Basketball Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Before we dive into the Michigan vs. UCLA Wolverines game let’s review the rules for Draftkings single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for this evening’s Michigan Wolverines vs. UCLA Bruins matchup.

Draftkings NCAA College Basketball Showdown Picks

Captain-Danny Wolf, Guard, Michigan Wolverines $12,400

Talented forward Danny Wolf has certainly been a solid player for the Michigan Wolverines this season. Having stated that, how has the junior forward performed from a statistical perspective in 2024? Let’s review Danny Wolf’s game data from the 2024 NCAA regular season to answer that question.

In the 14 games that forward Danny Wolf has played for the Michigan Wolverines in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Wolf is averaging a robust 12.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.1 steals a game.

Looking closer ay the data just presented, in the 14 games that Danny Wolf has played for the Michigan Wolverines this season, Wolf has compiled a field goal percentage of 58.8%, a three-point percentage of 35.1% and a free throw percentage of 61.1%.

More recently, in the Michigan Wolverines convincing 85-74 win over the USC Trojans three days ago, Danny Wolf played exceptionally well. Let me be more specific. Wolf accumulated a massive 21 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, six blocks and one steal in the Michigan Wolverines victory over the USC Trojans.

Examining the data just presented more closely, in the Wolverines win over the USC Trojans, Danny Wolf tallied a whopping 64.8 Draftkings points.

As I noted in the rules section above, selecting the correct player at the captain position for a Draftkings NCAA showdown lineup is absolutely vital if you hope to win a large field GPP (guaranteed prize pool) DFS contest. Keep that in mind as you construct your lineups for this one game Draftkings slate.

In my view, Danny Wolf is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in this evening’s NCAA regular season game. With that said, I am backing Danny Wolf at the captain position for this one game Draftkings NCAA Showdown contest.

Flex Plays

Sebastian Mack, Guard, UCLA Bruins $6,200

UCLA sophomore guard Sebastian Mack has been a consistent scorer for the UCLA Bruins, contributing significantly to the team’s overall success this season. Mack is known for his ability to score and for his contributions on the defensive side of the basketball.

In the 14 games Sebastian Mack has played for the UCLA Bruins in the 2024 NCAA regular season, Mack is averaging a respectable 9.7 points, 1.5 rebounds 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals a game.

Additional flex plays I like to perform well in this game (Draftkings price noted): Eric Dailey Jr., Guard (UCLA Bruins) $8,000: Nimari Burnett, Forward (Michigan Wolverines) $6,800.

Read the rest of "Draftkings NCAA Basketball Picks: Michigan vs. UCLA 1/7/25" at Sports Chat Place

Michigan is Playing Well

Michigan is playing well right now, and they have a ton of confidence. Two games ago against Western Kentucky, Michigan scored 112 points and they ended up cruising to the victory. In the last game against USC, Michigan scored 85 points, and they ended up winning by 11 points. Michigan shot 52.7 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from behind the three-point line. Daniel Wolf had a strong game putting up 21 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists. There were five different players that put up at least 11 points. Tre Donaldson put up 16 points, six rebounds, and two assists. 

Michigan is averaging 84.1 points while their defense is giving up 67.1 points per game. The offense is ranked 27th in the league while the defense is ranked 82nd. They are shooting 51.3 percent from the field which is 4th best in the league.  Vladislav Goldin is averaging 13.7 points while shooting 67.6 percent from the field. There are five different players that are averaging at least 10 points per game. 

Why Michigan Will Beat UCLA

• Michigan has won eight of its last 10 night games.
• UCLA has lost seven of its last nine games against AP-ranked opponents

UCLA Looks to Bounce Back

UCLA had been playing really well heading into the last game, but in the last game against Nebraska, they really struggled. UCLA only scored 58 points, while the defense gave up 66 points which led to the defeat. Tyler Bildeeau had a strong game putting up 15 points and five rebounds. UCLA only shot 38.6 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from behind the three-point line. The defense was good enough, still, it was just the offense that wasn’t good enough.

UCLA on the season is averaging 76 points while their defense is giving up 59.2 points per game. The offense is ranked 168th in the league while the defense is ranked 6th. This is a great defensive team, but the offense just hasn’t been good enough overall. Tyler Bildeau is having a strong season averaging 14.5 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from behind the three-point line. 

Why UCLA Will Beat Michigan

• UCLA has won each of its last nine night games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon.
• Michigan has lost 13 of its last 15 night games against Conference opponents.
• Michigan has lost the first half in each of its last seven night games against Conference opponents.

UCLA vs Michigan Prediction

One thing you know when UCLA is playing, it’s going to be a low-scoring game. UCLA’s defense is giving up only 95.2 points per game and they are going to really step up here. Michigan’s offense has been good overall this season, but in this game, they are going to really struggle to get any sort of offense going here. UCLA’s offense also won’t pull away, and that will lead to this game staying under the total. Back the under to cash. 

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Michigan Prediction 1-7-25 College Basketball Picks" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Defense Continues to Impress

UCLA’s defense has continued to impress and the biggest reason has been because of the defense. UCLA sits with a 1-2 record overall and in the last game against Gonzaga they were able to secure the 65-63 victory. In the first half, the defense gave up only 25 points and that was enough to hold on for the victory. UCLA as a team shot 36.4 percent from the field and 50 percent from behind the three-point line. Gonzaga shot 45.5 percent and 29.2 percent from behind the three-point line. Eric Dailey Jr put up 18 points, six rebounds, and two assists. 

UCLA has gone 9-4 against the spread so far this year, and the over has only hit on three of their 13 games. UCLA on the season is averaging 77.4 points while their defense is giving up 58.7 points per game. The offense is ranked 140th in the league while the defense is ranked 66th. Tyler Bilodeau has been the top player averaging 14.5 points while shooting 49 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from behind the three-point line. UCLA is dealing with all kinds of injury issues heading into this game. William Kyle III is out on Saturday. Evan Manjikian is also dealing with an undisclosed injury and he’s out. 

Why UCLA Will Beat Nebraska

• UCLA has won 10 of its last 11 games.
• Nebraska has lost each of its last five day games against AP-ranked opponents at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
• Nebraska has lost the first half in 15 of its last 18 games against AP-ranked opponents at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Nebraska Has Won Five Straight Games 

Nebraska is playing well heading into this game and they have won five games in a row. In the last game against Southern, Nebraska scored 77 points but even worse was the defense that gave up 43 points and that was the difference. In the first half, the defense gave up only 15 points and that was enough for an easy victory. Connor Essegian had a strong game putting up 20 points. Two games ago against Oregon State, Nebraska scored 78 points and they ended up winning by 12 points. This is a defense that has a lot of confidence heading into this game, and that will need to continue to be the case here. 

The Cornhuskers are averaging 77.7 points while their defense is giving up 65.1 points per game. The offense is ranked 128th in the league while the defense is ranked 40th in the league. Guard Brice Williams is averaging 19 points while shooting 51.7 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from behind the three-point line. The Cornhusker had three different players that put up at least 11.7 points. Ahron Ulis is dealing with an injury, and it’s unclear if he’s going to be able to go in this game. Nebraska will meet Iowa, Purdue, Rutgers, Maryland, and USC after this game.

Why Nebraska Will Beat UCLA

• Nebraska has won each of its last 11 games against the Big Ten Conference at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
• UCLA has lost five of its last six day games against Conference opponents.
• UCLA has lost the first half in four of its last five day games against Conference opponents.

Nebraska vs UCLA Prediction

Nebraska and UCLA are both going to lockdown here with the defense, and that is going to be the difference here. UCLA’s defense is giving p only 58.7 points per game and they are going to step up in a big way here. Nebraska is giving up 65.1 points per game but they are going to be even better here. This is going to be a slow-paced game with both teams really struggling to get anything going. Back the under. 

Read the rest of "Nebraska vs UCLA Prediction 1-4-25 College Basketball Picks" at Sports Chat Place

Gonzaga Bulldogs Betting Preview

The Gonzaga Bulldogs beat Nicholls and Bucknell, and they play Pepperdine, Portland and Loyola Marymount next. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are averaging 89.3 points on 49.5 percent shooting and allowing 69.5 points on 40.8 percent shooting. Graham Ike is averaging 15.5 points and 1.3 assists, while Braden Huff is averaging 12.7 points and 3.9 rebounds. Khalif Battle is the third double-digit scorer and Ryan Nembhard is grabbing 3.3 rebounds. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are shooting 34.8 percent from beyond the arc and 81.2 percent from the free throw line. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are allowing 25.9 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 36.8 rebounds per game.

UCLA Bruins Betting Preview

The UCLA Bruins beat Prairie View A&M, lost to North Carolina, and they play Nebraska, Michigan and Maryland next. The UCLA Bruins are averaging 78.5 points on 48.2 percent shooting and allowing 58.5 points on 39.6 percent shooting. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, while Eric Dailey Jr. is averaging 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds. Sebastian Mack is the third double-digit scorer and Dylan Andrews is grabbing 1.4 rebounds. The UCLA Bruins are shooting 35.8 percent from beyond the arc and 68.5 percent from the free throw line. The UCLA Bruins are allowing 29.6 percent shooting from deep and are grabbing 31.3 rebounds per game.

UCLA vs Gonzaga Prediction

The Gonzaga Bulldogs are super talented, but they’ve come up small in big games at times this season, which includes recent losses to UCONN and Kentucky. The UCLA Bruins are balanced and have the defensive pressure to make Gonzaga uncomfortable while slowing the game down. UCLA has also covered 7 of its last 10 games. We should also expect a larger UCLA crowd at the Intuit Dome, as it’s only 20 minutes from campus. This is a chance for UCLA to put the rest of the country on notice. I’ll grab the points with the Bruins.

Read the rest of "UCLA vs Gonzaga Prediction 12-28-24 College Basketball Picks" at Sports Chat Place

UCLA Has Won Nine Straight Games

UCLA has won nine straight games, and they have a ton of confidence right now. In the last game against Prairie View A&M, UCLA scored 111 points and they ended up cruising to the easy victory. Guard Dylan Edwards put up 21 points, six assists, and three rebounds. There were five different players that put up at least 11 points. UCLA on the season is averaging 78.8 points while their defense is giving up 56.8 points per game. The offense is ranked 113th in the league while the defense is ranked 5th. Tyler Bilodeau is averaging 14.1 points while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from behind the three point line. 

Can North Carolina Bounce Back?

North Carolina faced off against Florida, and they scored 84 points while the defense gave up 90 points. At halftime they were down 46-34, and although they scored 50 points in the second half, it wasn’t enough and they ended up falling short. North Carollina shot 17.9 percent from deep, and they need to get the three point shooting up. RJ Davis had a strong game putting up 29 points, eight rebounds, and one assist. There were four different players that put up at least 11 points. North Carolina on the season is averaging 86.5 points while their defense is giving up 79.7 points per game. The offense is ranked 15th in the league while the defense is ranked 341st. RJ Davis is averaging 18.66 points while shooting 37.1 percent from teh feidl. 

North Carolina vs UCLA Prediction

There is still not enough talk about UCLA with how well they have played this season and they are going to find success in this game. UCLA’s defense is giving up 56.8 poitns per game and although they might give up more than that here, North Carolina’s offense isn’t going to get anywhere close to their season average of 86.5 points, and that will be enough for UCLA to come out on top here. Back the Tar Heels against the spread. 

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