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One of the exciting aspects of March Madness is spotting which teams are becoming fan favorites and deciding whether to jump on the bandwagon or bet on the opposite outcome for potential value.
UCLA, seeded seventh, is gaining attention as a possible underdog capable of making a significant impact in the East Region. To live up to this hype, the Bruins must first overcome No. 10 seed UCF in a Friday evening showdown in Philadelphia.
Bookmakers seem confident in UCLA’s chances, as Mick Cronin’s team is favored by 5.5 points—the largest point spread among the four 7-10 matchups in the tournament.
UCLA vs. UCF odds, prediction
The enthusiasm surrounding UCLA is justified by their impressive late-season performance.
Following heavy losses to Michigan and Michigan State, the Bruins bounced back remarkably, winning six out of their next seven games before narrowly losing to Purdue in the Big Ten semifinals.
That stretch saw UCLA collect wins over Illinois, Nebraska and Michigan State, all of whom are higher seeds than the Bruins in the Big Dance.
UCF’s current form is on the other end of the spectrum.
The Knights limp into the tournament as losers of four of their last five and seven of their last 11.
The schedule they faced was a brute, but it’s not like they’ll be taking on a shrinking violet on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.
What’s more is that UCF’s glaring weakness, a defense that sits outside of KenPom’s top 100, matches up with the strength of UCLA.
The Bruins are a terrific offensive outfit, ranking 22nd in the country per KenPom.
Betting on College Basketball?
Sometimes there are reasons to be dubious of trendy teams early in the tournament, but other times it’s logical.
We’ll back the Bruins to get the job done with ease Friday.
The Play: UCLA -5.5 (-110, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.