Northwestern was in danger of missing the Big Ten tournament altogether but has since ripped off three straight wins and now have a chance to further improve their seeding in the conference tournament with a win against UCLA on Monday night.
UCLA is another team that can improve its standing in the upcoming conference tournament, but a couple more wins should also lock up its berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Let’s dive into the odds and my best bet for this Monday night Big Ten showdown.
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
Moneyline
Total
UCLA Bruins
Tiler Bilodeau: UCLA’s top scorer is averaging 13.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game this season. Northwestern’s interior defense has played a big role in its recent wins so it’ll be interesting to see if Bilodeau can crack that code.
Northwestern Wildcats
Nick Martinelli: The Wildcats’ forward has dragged this team to their three-game win streak. He has put up 16+ points in seven straight games, including posting 29 points in their win against Minnesota last week. Can he keep it up on Monday night?
Sometimes, you just have to ride with the team that has momentum, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do in this spot. Northwestern’s effective field goal percentage has been 52.1% over their last three games, and what’s been even more impressive is their defense. Over this three-game win streak, their opponents have posted an effective field goal percentage of just 42.2%, the 10th lowest mark in the country in that stretch.
UCLA has severely struggled on the road this season; adjusting to Big Ten play has been a challenge. The Bruins’ average scoring margin falls from +19.3 at home to -2.7 on the road, a difference of 22 points. Having to hit the road to take on a team as hot as Northwestern is a tall order for any team.
Pick: Northwestern+2.5 (-110) via FanDuel
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