
March Madness: Utah State vs. UCLA odds, picks and predictions
Utah State's 2-game winning streak was snapped with an 83-72 loss against the Colorado State Rams in the Mountain West semifinal, failing to cover as a 1-point underdog. The Aggies finished third in the conference at 15-5 and are led by G Ian Martinez, who averages 16.8 points per game (PPG).
UCLA had its 2-game winning streak snapped with an 86-70 loss against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten quarterfinals, failing to cover as a 2-point underdog. The Bruins finished sixth in the Big Ten (13-7) and are led by F Tyler Bilodeau who averages 13.6 PPG.
– Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll
THE BRACKETS ARE BACK! The USA TODAY Sports Bracket Challenge is back! $1 MILLION grand prize for a perfect bracket, $25,000 prize for top bracket. Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!
Utah State vs. UCLA odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 6:43 p.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML) : Utah State +195 (bet $100 to win $195) | UCLA -235 (bet $235 to win $100)
: Utah State +195 (bet $100 to win $195) | UCLA -235 (bet $235 to win $100) Against the spread (ATS) : Utah State +5.5 (-110) | UCLA -5.5 (-110)
: Utah State +5.5 (-110) | UCLA -5.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 144.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Can you survive? USA TODAY Sports' Men and Women's Basketball Tournament Survivor Pools are here with a $2,500 prize for each contest! Free to enter, 21+. Terms apply, void where prohibited by law. See Official Rules. Play now!
Utah State vs. UCLA picks and predictions
Prediction
Utah State 77, UCLA 73
BET UTAH STATE (+195).
The Aggies are one of the most efficient shooting teams in the country shooting 49% from the field, which is good for 11th-best. They average nearly 80.9 PPG and pose a real threat against a UCLA team that has scored 73 or fewer points in 6 of its last 7 games and has allowed 76 or more points in 2 of its last 4 contests. Traditionally, the 7-10 matchups cause a lot of havoc and the Bruins have a high chance of being on the wrong end of that on Thursday.
PASS.
The moneyline has the best value on the Aggies.
BET OVER 144.5 (-110).
The Aggies have scored 70 or more points in 8 of their last 10 games while allowing 82 or more points in 3 of their last 5 contests. They have hit the Over in 7 of their last 10.
The Bruins have scored at least 70 points in 6 of their last 9 games, including 3 straight, and have allowed at least 69 points in 3 of their last 4 games. They have hit the Over in each of their last 4 games.
Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now!
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow @seth_orlemann on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Report: Big Ten suggests to NCAA that Michigan has been punished enough for sign-stealing
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti sent a letter to the NCAA Committee on Infractions suggesting that Michigan's football program should not face more sanctions stemming from a sign-stealing scheme, according to two people familiar with the situation. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because no one is authorized to comment on an ongoing NCAA investigation. Petitti's letter was shared during last month's hearing because he was unable to attend while recovering from hip surgery, Big Ten Deputy Commissioner Diane Dietz said. ESPN was first to report some details of Petitti's letter. The NCAA alleged last year in a notice relating to its sign-stealing investigation that current coach Sherrone Moore violated rules as an assistant under former coach Jim Harbaugh, who served a three-game suspension in exchange for the conference dropping its own investigation into the allegations after the two ended up in court. After winning the 2023 national championship, Harbaugh left to lead the Los Angeles Chargers. Moore also was accused of deleting text messages with sign-stealer Connor Stalions before they were recovered and provided to the NCAA. Moore has said he has and will continue to cooperate with the NCAA's investigation. The NCAA investigation surfaced early in the 2023 season amid allegations that Michigan used a robust in-person scouting and sign-stealing operation conducted by Stalions, a former a low-level staffer. He was suspended by the school and later resigned. Stalions, who did not participate in the NCAA investigation, recently said he knew almost every signal opponents used in seven games over two seasons. Michigan is prepared to suspend Moore for two games during the coming season. The NCAA will decide if that self-imposed sanction is enough to address allegations that Moore failed to cooperate in an investigation. The governing body takes three months on average for contested cases to make a final decision. The Wolverines open the season on Aug. 30 at home against New Mexico State and at Oklahoma, where Moore was an offensive lineman, on Sept. 6. Harbaugh was suspended by the Big Ten, three weeks after an investigation by the NCAA into the allegations began. Hours later, Michigan asked a court for an injunction and temporary restraining order and the two sides narrowly avoided a court hearing. Harbaugh has repeatedly denied any involvement with Stalions' apparent scheme. The NCAA does not have rules against stealing signs, but does prohibit schools from sending scouts to the games of future opponents and using electronic equipment to record another team's signals. Multiple Big Ten schools had records showing ticket purchases under Stalions' name and video surveillance footage of people in those seats with cell phones pointed toward the field. Big Ten coaches and athletic directors previously pushed Petitti to punish Harbaugh before the NCAA concluded its investigation. When the Big Ten did suspend Harbaugh, Michigan claimed the commissioner overstepped his authority and acted outside the conference's bylaws. Athletic director Warde Manuel released a scathing statement just before Michigan kicked off at Penn State and won 24-15 without Harbaugh on the sideline. 'Not liking someone or another university or believing without any evidence that they knew or saying someone should have known without an investigation is not grounds to remove someone from their position before the NCAA process has reached a conclusion through a full NCAA investigative process,' Manuel said then. The NCAA previously put Michigan on three years of probation, fined the school and implemented recruiting limits after reaching a negotiated resolution in a recruiting case and banned Harbaugh from coaching college football for four years.


USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Competing preseason media poll has Spartans landing in same spot as Cleveland.com poll
It's the time of the year where everyone is releasing their preseason polls, and that includes a popular podcast centered around college football in the north. Kings of the North podcast created a competing Big Ten preseason media poll that included 54 voters covering the Big Ten and national college football landscape, and to little surprise Michigan State landed in the bottom half. The Spartans came in at No. 13 out of 18 teams in their version of the preseason poll. Ironically, Michigan State landed in the exact same spot in the more well-known annual preseason poll also released on Monday. In both polls, Michigan State landed right behind Washington (No. 10), Minnesota (No. 11) and Wisconsin (No. 12). Both polls were also lower on Michigan State than our own in-house preseason poll we released late last week that had Michigan State as the No. 8 team in the Big Ten. The landing spot of No. 13 -- or essentially the bottom of the middle-tier of teams -- aligns with the national perception and projection for Michigan State we've seen this offseason. This is the expected outcome for Michigan State should they land somewhere in the middle of their ceiling and floor. Check out the complete rankings from the Kings of the North preseason media poll below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.


USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Longshot Hawkeyes: Iowa receives odds to make College Football Playoff
Some may say that the Iowa Hawkeyes are long overdue to make the College Football Playoff. Iowa has been close multiple times, but has never been able to punch their ticket to the elusive postseason playoff. The Hawkeyes have been in the Big Ten Championship game three times since the inception of the College Football Playoff, but unfortunately, come up short each time. With the field entering its second year of 12 teams making the postseason, the chance for Iowa to punch their first ticket is greater than ever before. The Hawkeyes still have plenty of work to do if they want to make the College Football Playoff, but the newest odds courtesy of Circa Sports give the Hawkeyes at least a fighter's chance. Iowa is listed with the ninth-best odds in the Big Ten to make the College Football Playoff at+650. If Iowa wants to make a postseason appearance, the odds tell us that they will have to steal the fourth spot from another team, as three teams, Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon, all are listed with odds indicating that a College Football Playoff appearance isn't just likely, but expected. Other programs in the Big Ten given better odds to punch their ticket than Iowa are Michigan, USC, Illinois, Nebraska, and Indiana. Washington and Minnesota are the only two teams with listed odds that trail Iowa with worse odds to make the College Football Playoff. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7