The Oregon Ducks take on the UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles, CA. Tip-off is set for 10:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
UCLA is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -185. The total is set at 141.5 points.
Here’s my Oregon vs. UCLA predictions and college basketball picks for January 30, 2025.
Oregon vs UCLA Prediction
My Pick: UCLA -3.5 (Play to -4.5)
My Oregon vs UCLA best bet is on the Bruins spread, with the best odds currently available at BetRivers. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Oregon vs UCLA Odds, Spread, Pick
| Oregon Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -110 | 141.5 -110 / -110 | +155 |
| UCLA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -110 | 141.5 -110 / -110 | -185 |
- Oregon vs UCLA spread: UCLA -4.5
- Oregon vs UCLA over/under: 141.5 points
- Oregon vs UCLA moneyline: UCLA -185, Oregon +155
- Oregon vs UCLA best bet: UCLA -3.5 (Play to -4.5)
My Oregon vs UCLA NCAAB Betting Preview
I think we're getting a real glimpse of Oregon, which lost two of its past three games. The Ducks lost a home game to Purdue and a road game to Minnesota, but honestly, it was just a matter of time. Oregon can't fight back from double-digit deficits with less than 10 minutes remaining forever.
It all starts with playing better early.
Oregon isn't great on either end of the floor, but it does just enough on both ends to win games. The Ducks' defense ranks 41st in efficiency, and the offense ranks 32nd in efficiency.
They'll need to ensure they handle the ball comfortably. Oregon turns the ball over at a 16% clip, but many teams have fallen victim to UCLA's dominant defense.
Moreover, the Ducks' offense doesn't have a clear go-to scorer.
I think Jackson Shelstad is the most trustworthy, but he's proven to be a very streaky player. Shelstad, forward Nate Bittle and guard TJ Bamba are the lone Ducks who average 10+ points per game.
Streaky scoring is a theme for the Ducks' guards. Bamba is shooting below 40% from the field, Keeshawn Barthelemy is around 42% and Shelstad is at 44% after sitting below 40% through January.
A lot of what happens in this matchup depends on which version of Oregon's backcourt shows up.
Meanwhile, the UCLA Bruins have won four consecutive games, including a pair of road games over Washington and rival USC. Some shaky performances — and Mick Cronin eviscerating his team to the media — was the perfect diet to get the team on track.
Sometimes an injury can lead to a silver lining. Bruins leading-scorer Tyler Bilodeau left the Washington game after just three minutes and didn't play versus USC. That opened up minutes for 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara, who scored 12+ points in three consecutive games and blocked five shots in two of the three.
Before Mara emerged as a legitimate option, UCLA lacked rim protection. But now Mara adds another dimension to UCLA's dominant defense.
Cronin got away from his defensive coaching DNA the past few years, but he's back to his bread and butter. The Bruins rank 20th in KenPom's defensive efficiency while their pressure leads to a 24% turnover rate.
Teams can score on UCLA in a half-court setting if the Bruins can't force a turnover, as opponents shoot 51% from 2 and 33% from 3.
Teams look to attack UCLA's defense with shooting, attempting 3s on 44% of their field goal attempts. With the Ducks shooting 34% from 3, I don't see that being a real advantage.
Additionally, UCLA's offense is outstanding in two areas: playing in transition and posting up. We'll see if the post-up play matters here, as Bilodeau accounts for the lion's share of UCLA's 91st-percentile post-up scoring. Eric Dailey Jr. and Mara can also thrive in post-up situations.
Even if Bilodeau doesn't play, the Bruins have forwards with size who can score on the interior.
Cronin has made a concerted effort to involve Dailey in the offense more. The 6-foot-8 multi-faceted forward has scored 16+ points in three of his past five games. He's an interesting matchup here because I don't know if Oregon forward Brandon Angel can slow him down.
Ultimately, I like the Bruins' defense standing out in this game. The Ducks are three spots above the Bruins in KenPom, and with the way both teams are trending, I can't get behind that.
Since 2025 began, Oregon is ranked No. 69 in Bart Torvik, just one spot above Omaha and one spot above Northwestern.
Conversely, UCLA ranks 31st in Bart Torvik, which largely aligns with its ranking for the year.
