#22 UCLA Bruins vs Maryland Terrapins: NCAA Basketball Predictions, Odds & Best Bets

Friday Night brings us some Big Ten basketball in College Park tonight as the Maryland Terrapins host the #22 UCLA Bruins. Both teams need to turn things around as they find themselves on a two game skid. But only one can win tonight.

The Bruins are coming off two straight losses, and they have dropped 3 of their L4, despite upsetting #14 Gonzaga to end the 2024 calendar year. They barely showed up at home against Michigan, losing by 19 at home, and lost by 8 to Nebraska in Lincoln. With the extended conference, teams are traveling plenty, and that can certainly be said about the Bruins.

UCLA went from LA to Lincoln last Saturday for their game against the Huskers. Then they flew back to host Michigan on Tuesday, and now fly back out to the East Coast, where they will be staying all weekend as they go to Rutgers on Monday. That’s a lot of travel and tough matchups squeezed into 10 days. Now, the Terps have had their fair share of travel too, but they do have the advantage of being at home.

Maryland went to the West Coast to play Washington and #9 Oregon, losing by a combined 10 points in some hard fought battles. They’ve been home since Monday, and host Minnesota on the 13th, so they have had a lot less travel than the Bruins as of recently. But will that be enough to take down this Top 25 opponent?

#22 UCLA Bruins vs Maryland Terrapins: Big Ten Basketball

Matchup Information – UCLA vs Maryland

• Venue & Location: XFINITY Center (College Park, MD)
• Date: Friday, January 10th, 2025
• Tip Off: 8:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: FOX

Betting Odds

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Spread

• UCLA +4.5 (-110)
• Maryland -4.5 (-110)

Money Line

• UCLA +175
• Maryland -205

Total

• Over 137.5 (-115)
• Under 137.5 (-105)

Will Bruins or Terps End Their Losing Streak?

Like I mentioned, the travel has been brutal for the Bruins. And Head Coach, Mick Cronin, even ripped his own team following a loss. He called the team “soft” repeatedly, claiming he had more energy than anyone at practice everyday. Overall, he made some very demoralizing statements about his team, and it probably impacted the motivation on the team in a negative way.

Kicking your own team while they are down can’t go over well, and I could see a huge lack of effort from the Bruins tonight on the road, especially considering they have another tough matchup away from home right around the corner. Sure, the UCLA defense is very good, and they play very, very slow. But tonight I see the Terps speeding things up, and getting a much needed Big Ten win on their home court.

#22 UCLA Bruins vs Maryland Terrapins Best Bets

UCLA vs Maryland Prediction: Maryland Wins & Covers, Over 137.5

Best Bets: Maryland -4.5 (-110)  BetOnline

Now, this bet has nothing to do with the fact that Maryland is an unranked home favorite against a ranked opponent. Does it fit that system? Yes. Is that the only reason we’re betting the Terps? Absolutely not. To be honest, that thought didn’t even cross my mind.

While the Terps have been sitting at home after their unsuccessful West Coast road trip, the Bruins have been getting on plane after plane with their head coach berating their effort to the media. In what could be a major turning point in the season for UCLA, I think they’re getting steered in the wrong direction. Maryland has now lost three straight conference games, but they are still a Top 25 offense and defense overall. Tonight I see them buckling down and silencing a much inferior Bruins team that clearly has come locker room issues to fix.

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