College Hoops Betting Odds: UC-Irvine Anteaters at UCLA Bruins
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Frank Martin
UCLA Bruins has won three straight and seeks to climb over .500 for the first time this season when it hosts UC Irvine Anteaters on Tuesday at the L.A. Sports Arena.
Encouraged by coach Ben Howland to ramp up the defensive intensity, the Bruins have cruised to the past two victories by a combined 56 points. As expected, UC Irvine has struggled badly to start the season. The Anteaters, who were picked to finish last in the preseason Big West poll, are 0-5 on the road.
UC Irvine Anteaters @ UCLA Bruins
When: 10:30 PM ET, Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (FSN)
The Bruins have opened as 16-point favorites on SBG Global Sportsbook’s Live NCAA Basketball Odds.
UC-Irvine Anteaters (2-8): The Anteaters lost the first six games of the season before beating San Diego and Vanguard. They have since dropped their past two games at LSU and Wyoming. Irvine lost its season opener to Pac-12 team California and is led by Daman Starring at 12.2 points per game. As a 15-point underdog, UC Irvine lost at UCLA 74-73 last season. The Anteaters cut a 13-point deficit down to a point with seven seconds to play and had the ball with a chance to win but didn’t get a shot off. Irvine went 13-19 last season.
UCLA Bruins (5-5): The Bruins raced out to a 33-5 lead Saturday in a 43-point romp of overmatched UC Davis at Anaheim, Calif. The Bruins have yet to play a true road game and their strength of schedule has hardly been difficult. On the positive side, however, UCLA has seemed to settle down after the dismissal of star forward Reeves Nelson left the team in turmoil. Travis Wear should return to the lineup Tuesday after missing the past two games with a foot infection and important center Josh Smith finally broke out Saturday to lead the team with 18 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.
1. Nelson is looking to play professionally in Lithuania after being kicked off the team for insubordination.
2. UCLA, playing more zone defense lately, held UC Davis to 19 percent shooting in the first half Saturday.
3. The Bruins lead the all-time series 6-2.
NCAA BASKETBALL PREDICTION: Bruins 74, Anteaters 60
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ben howland - daman starring - josh smith - los angeles memorial sports arena - reeves nelson - travis wear - uc irvine anteaters - ucla bruins