Northwestern vs. UCLA NCAA picks, predictions, odds: Who wins March Madness game?
No. 7 seed Northwestern and No. 2 seed UCLA face off on Saturday in an NCAA Tournament second-round game.
The game is scheduled for 5:40 p.m. MST and can be seen on TNT.
Who will win the game?
Check out these picks and predictions for the contest.
UCLA is a 7.5-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.
The Bruins are -320 on the moneyline. The Wildcats are +255.
The over/under for the game is set at 127.5 points.
OddsChecker: Take UCLA to cover vs. Northwestern
It writes: "Northwestern has shown they have the defensive chops to play with the best in the country. They beat Purdue, Indiana, and Michigan State in the regular season. Now they’re going to have to do it again against UCLA. But given their recent offensive breakout on top of a superior defensive unit, it’s hard to see the Bruins letting this one get away."
Saturday's March Madness game picks: Furman vs. San Diego State | Duke vs. Tennessee | Arkansas vs. Kansas | Princeton vs. Missouri | Auburn vs. Houston | Penn State vs. Texas | Northwestern vs. UCLA | Maryland vs. Alabama
FanDuel: UCLA 78, Northwestern 65
Devon Platana writes: "In a battle between two top-15 defenses, it's a no-brainer to go with UCLA. The Bruins are the No. 7-ranked team in the NCAA for a reason and have what it takes to make their third straight Sweet Sixteen appearance."
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College Football News: UCLA 73, Northwestern 64
Pete Fiutak writes: "UCLA doesn't have to do anything crazy. It has to be patient, run when there's a chance, and assume that the offensive rebounds will come whenever there's an issue. There's a fine line with the way Northwestern plays. It'll never be out of it thanks to its defense, but it'll also never seem like it's in this game, either - if that makes any sense. UCLA will dictate control."
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Sportsbook Wire: UCLA 71, Northwestern 61
It writes: "UCLA has compiled a 20-14-1 record against the spread this season. Northwestern has won 20 games against the spread this season, while failing to cover 13 times."
March Madness odds: Houston, Kansas, Alabama, Purdue 2023 men's NCAA Tournament favorites
Sports Chat Place: Go with Northwestern with the points vs. UCLA
It writes: "I might try Northwestern in this one. The Wildcats’ 1-3 stretch to finish off the regular season was a disappointing outcome to be sure. That said, Northwestern has been competitive against some very tricky competition lately and they’ve handled it fairly well. Just one of the team’s last four losses came by more than four points. The Wildcats did a solid job against Boise State on Thursday, shooting 49.1 percent from the field with only seven turnovers. The rebounding was a bit lopsided however, with a 41-33 deficit (20-9 offensive). As for UCLA, they didn’t have any issues with UNC Asheville on Thursday. The Bruins have scored 75 or more points in five of their last six games, so Northwestern will probably have to push the offense to keep up. I think the Wildcats will."
Sunday's March Madness game picks: Pittsburgh vs. Xavier | Kentucky vs. Kansas State | Michigan State vs. Marquette | Saint Mary's vs. UConn | Creighton vs. Baylor | Fairleigh Dickinson vs. Florida Atlantic | Miami vs. Indiana | TCU vs. Gonzaga
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Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Northwestern vs. UCLA NCAA March Madness game picks, predictions, odds
