UCLA vs Idaho State Prediction 11-20-24 College Basketball Picks
Idaho State (2-3) vs. UCLA (3-1)
November 20, 2024 11:00 pm EDT
The Line: UCLA -23; Over/Under: +132.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Idaho State Bengals and the UCLA Bruins meet Wednesday in college basketball action from Pauley Pavilion. Here’s a UCLA vs Idaho State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best UCLA vs Idaho State pick.
Idaho State Bengals Betting Preview
This year Idaho State kicked off the season with a couple of losses, falling 55-48 to Arizona State and 75-69 against USC. The Bengals won their next pair, however, beating Southern Oregon 87-63 and San Diego 78-66.
In game five versus CSU Fullerton, the Bengals fell back into the loss column. Idaho State held a one-point lead at the break but eventually fell 62-61 after a 31-29 second half. Jake O’Neil (12 rebounds) and Dylan Darling each had a team-high 17 points in the loss.
UCLA Bruins Betting Preview
Over on the Bruins’ side, they got their campaign started with a blowout win 85-50 over Rider. UCLA took their first loss of the season 72-64 versus New Mexico in game two but then came back for a 71-40 blowout win over Boston U.
UCLA played Lehigh on Friday and didn’t have too many issues. The Bruins were up 44-16 at the break then cruised on a 41-29 run for an 85-45 blowout result. Tops in scoring was Eric Dailey with a double-double on 17 points and 10 boards.
Why the UCLA Bruins will win
- UCLA has won each of its last 21 night games at Edwin W. Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescon following a home win.
- Idaho State has lost each of its last seven road night games against non-conference opponents.
- UCLA has won the first half in five of its last six games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Idaho State Bengals will win
- Idaho State has won the first half in each of its last three games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
UCLA vs Idaho State Prediction
I’ll just stay with UCLA here. The Bruins looked great against an overmatched Lehigh team in their last outing, despite shooting a cold 23.1 percent (3-of-13) from 3-point range. UCLA otherwise shot 55.4 percent from the floor and had a 47-18 rebounding advantage. That makes 71 or more points in all three wins so far.
As for the Bengals, they shot just 30.9 percent versus CSU Fullerton and took a tough loss despite a dominant 42-29 edge on the boards (22-6 offensive). Idaho State has 78 or more points in their two wins this year, with 69 or fewer in their three losses. If the Bengals don’t get off to a great start here, they’ll get buried quickly.
