Colorado at UCLA odds, picks and prediction

The Colorado Buffaloes (7-2 overall, 1-1 Pac-12) visit the UCLA Bruins (6-2, 2-0) Saturday for an 8 p.m. ET tip-off in a Pac-12 affair at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. Below, we analyze the Colorado-UCLA college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Colorado at UCLA:Betting odds, spread andlines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports' betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET.

• Money line : Colorado +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | UCLA -1650 (bet $160 to win $100)
• Against the spread/ATS : Colorado +3.5 (-115) | UCLA -3.5 (-105)
• Over/Under : 136.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)

Colorado at UCLA: Three things to know

1. UCLA slipped by Utah 72-70 on New Year's Eve. The Bruins won that game at home, where they are 5-0 this season and 12-for-12 over their last dozen games. UCLA shot 50% (10-of-20) from 3-point range against the Utes. The Bruins' 37.0% mark from beyond the arc ranks fourth in the Pac-12.
2. Colorado is closing out a holiday-week two-gamer in Southern California. The Buffaloes prevailed in a 72-62 win at USC Thursday. CU was sharp on defense, holding the Trojans to a 38.3% mark from the field and forcing 15 turnovers. Colorado heads into this game yielding just 61.3 points per game (second in Pac-12).
3. UCLA beat Colorado twice last season, and those twin wins snapped a four-game Buffs winning streak in the series. In Los Angeles, the Bruins are 5-2 straight up and 5-2 ATS against CU. The 2019-20 meeting at Pauley Pavilion saw UCLA win despite shooting just 38.9% from the floor. The Bruins out-rebounded the Buffaloes 36-28 and shot 86.2% on 29 attempts from the free-throw line.

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Colorado at UCLA: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

UCLA 71, Colorado 70

Money line (ML)

In a vacuum, the razor-thin lean is on UCLA, but the price on underdog Colorado makes CU worth a play: BACK THE BUFFALOES (+135).

Against the spread (ATS)

Colorado typically plays road games against the Pac-12 Los Angeles schools in one-trip visits. On the back half of those visits, the Buffaloes are 2-0 ATS the last two seasons.

Figure on Colorado getting to the line and keeping this game close. The Buffs' 2-point defense should also be a key plus.

TAKE COLORADO +3.5 (-115).

Over/Under (O/U)

The tag here is colored by the slower tempo both teams prefer but both sides bring high-level offensive efficiency to the table.

TAKE THE OVER 136.5 (-115).

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