The 15th-seeded UNC Asheville Bulldogs (27-7) and No. 2 UCLA Bruins (29-5) tussle Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Tip from Golden 1 Center in Sacramento is at 10:05 p.m. ET (truTV). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the UNC Asheville vs. UCLA odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
UNC Asheville advanced to the tournament by winning the Big South Conference. An efficient team at both ends of the floor, albeit in a weak schedule, the Bulldogs excel in getting lots of 3-point shots and free throws and preventing the same. UNCA is 18-1 since the calendar flipped to 2023.
UCLA — the No. 6 team in the nation — was ousted by No. 8 Arizona in the Pac-12 title game, but the Bruins have an elite defense that has held foes to just 59.8 points per game while going 12-1 since Feb. 2.