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USATSI

The Arizona Wildcats look to add a 2022 Pac-12 Tournament championship to their profile on Saturday evening in Las Vegas. Arizona already earned the conference's regular season title, but the top-seeded Wildcats face a real challenge against the No. 2 seed UCLA Bruins. UCLA is 8-1 in the last nine games with a 25-6 overall record and a 17-5 mark against Pac-12 opponents. Arizona is 30-3 overall after 14 wins in the last 15 games, though the Wildcats and Bruins split a pair of regular season matchups.

Caesars Sportsbook lists the Wildcats as 1.5-point favorites for this 9 p.m. ET tipoff. The total number of points expected, or the over-under, is 143 in the latest UCLA vs. Arizona odds. Before finalizing any Arizona vs. UCLA picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of almost $1,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on UCLA vs. Arizona and revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see all of the model's college basketball picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Arizona vs. UCLA:

  • UCLA vs. Arizona spread: Arizona -1.5
  • UCLA vs. Arizona over-under: 143 points
  • UCLA vs. Arizona money line: Arizona -125, UCLA +105
  • UCLA: The Bruins are 12-9-1 against the spread in conference games
  • AZ: The Wildcats are 11-10-1 against the spread in conference games

Why UCLA can cover

UCLA is on the very short list of teams that ranks in the top 15 nationally in both offensive and defensive efficiency. On offense, the Bruins are elite in taking care of the ball, ranking in the top five of the country in live-ball turnover rate and overall turnover rate. On defense, UCLA also excels in the turnover game, creating absolute havoc at the point of attack. The Bruins lead the Pac-12 in adjusted defensive efficiency, and that includes a whopping 21.2 percent turnover creation rate. 

UCLA creates a steal on 11.4 percent of possessions, No. 2 in the Pac-12, and Arizona is No. 9 in live-ball turnover rate and No. 10 in turnover rate among conference foes. UCLA also holds Pac-12 opponents to just 30.6 percent shooting from 3-point distance, and the Bruins are in the top four of the conference in free-throw rate allowed and defensive rebound rate (73.3 percent).

Why Arizona can cover

Arizona's offense is dynamic and effective, headlined by projected NBA lottery pick Bennedict Mathurin. The 6-foot-6 sophomore from Montreal is averaging 17.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game this season, and Mathurin is a tremendous shooter, making 39.0 percent of 3-point attempts over a two-year college tenure. From there, Arizona's overall offensive profile is impressive, ranking No. 7 in the country and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in offensive efficiency. 

The Wildcats are in the top five of the nation in 2-point shooting at 57.6 percent, and no Pac-12 team has a loftier effective field-goal percentage than Arizona. That includes a 34.6 percent clip from 3-point range in conference games, and Arizona is in the top 20 nationally in offensive rebound rate at 34.5 percent. Arizona also wins at the free-throw line, posting the highest free-throw creation rate in the Pac-12 this season.

How to make Arizona vs. UCLA picks

SportsLine's model is leaning over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 149 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins UCLA vs. Arizona? And which side of the spread hits in 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.