UCLA vs Oregon Odds, Picks and Predictions: Quack, Quack, Quack!

The Pac-12 as we know it enters its final college basketball season, and we have a strong Saturday afternoon Pac-12 conference matchup between the UCLA Bruins and Oregon Ducks.

Both programs are 1-0 in Pac-12 action; UCLA opened conference play with a 69-62 victory at Oregon State, while Oregon snuck past USC 82-74 in Eugene.

Please join me as I take a closer look at the college basketball odds with free college basketball picks as I preview UCLA vs Oregon on Saturday, December 30.

UCLA vs Oregon best odds

UCLA vs Oregon picks and predictions

UCLA snapped a four-game losing streak and covered the spread with a solid 69-62 away victory over Oregon State. The victory not only snapped a four-game losing skid but also ended its five-game ATS losing skid and improved the Bruins ATS record to 4-7-1 on the young season.

The Bruins’ main problem is they are inconsistent on the offensive end of the floor. Part of the problem with the UCLA offense is they are below-average shooters from inside or outside the arc. Boasting an effective field goal percentage of 45.6% and draining 31% from downtown isn’t what usually wins games or covers the spread.

According to ShotQuality, the Bruins' defense allows too many three-point shots; they’ve been good at chasing shooters off the three-point arc. Opponents average 31% from downtown, a below-average 48% shooting from the field, and as a result, the Bruins allow a paltry 62 points per game.

Oregon hasn’t had the same rough start as UCLA. They’ve won five of their last six and covered the spread in five of their last six. The Ducks are 8-4-0 ATS this season and are 6-1-0 ATS at Matthew Knight Arena. 

The Ducks average a whopping 17.1 points from turnovers. They average eight steals per game, and those 17 points gained from turnovers, alongside above-average shooting from inside and outside the arc, have helped fuel its 79.3 points per game average. 

I like Oregon to cover the -6 points on Saturday afternoon.

The Ducks are a big-scoring team because of their ability to convert turnovers into buckets, and they face a Bruins offense with a relatively high turnover rate, allowing 13.8 points from turnovers per game. Playing in Eugene will likely add to the Bruins' turnover woes, and that’s a good thing for Oregon and a bad thing for UCLA.

UCLA was able to beat Oregon State because the Beavers can’t shoot, but that won’t be the case with the Ducks. Oregon is an above-average shooting team, has big home victories over Michigan and USC, and plays good enough defense to slow down the Bruins defensively.

Finally, UCLA has defeated Oregon in their last three matchups, and the Ducks would like nothing better than to end that losing skid. Oregon has a much higher assist-to-turnovers ratio and much better shooters than the Bruins have on their roster. Look for Oregon to get the swipes, turn them into buckets, knock down their free throws in the closing minutes, and cover the -6 (-110) at Caesars.

My best bet: Ducks -6 (-110 at Caesars)

UCLA vs Oregon same-game parlay

Oregon -6

Under 137.5 points

+248 at DraftKings

This two-leg same-game parlay pays $248 for a $100 wager, and this card correlates nicely with the best bet of Oregon -6.

I like the Under 137.5 because I expect Oregon to disrupt the Bruins ballhandlers and cause many problems for the younger and less experienced UCLA group. I also don’t expect the Bruins to enjoy the same 14.7 points per game from turnovers against an Oregon side with one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in college hoops. 

Finally, the Bruins' defense is better than average, and I don’t see Oregon blowing this team out on Saturday. They are good at chasing shooters off the line and are good rebounders, and we should expect to see a real battle on the glass on Saturday. None of that helps improve the total and why I went Under for the second leg.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

UCLA vs Oregon spread and Over/Under analysis

If UCLA could score, they would be deadly. They are willing defenders, dive after loose balls, and get six swipes per game. The problem is they don’t score consistently and probably won’t enjoy nearly as many points from turnovers, making it difficult for them to cover the +6.

Oregon -6 is the consensus, but I expect this number to rise to as high as -7.5 by tip-off. It hasn’t budged yet from the -6, but there is -6.5 at some offshore spots. That’s why I believe we might see -7 or higher and why I jumped on the -6 as my best bet.

Over bettors can find 136.5 (-110) at Caesars, while DraftKings opened the Under at 137.5, and that number hasn’t budged. I like the DraftKings 137.5 and don’t see any large spikes on either side of the total.

The reality is the Bruins just don’t score the basketball. UCLA scored 72 at home against Cal State Northridge, but that was the only 70+ game over their last six, and the young Bruins won’t find scoring any easier in the hostile Matthew Knight Arena crowd mocking their every miss.

UCLA vs Oregon betting trend to know

The Ducks are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games overall. Find more college basketball betting trends for UCLA vs. Oregon.

UCLA vs Oregon game info

UCLA vs Oregon key injuries

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