UCLA vs. Purdue Prediction Tonight: Best Bets, Expert Picks, Odds & AI Score Prediction
Purdue (19-9) looks to end its four-game losing streak when it hosts UCLA (20-8) tonight for the first time as a conference opponent. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET (FOX) tonight from Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.
While the Boilermakers' March Madness odds have crumbled due to their poor play as of late, our UCLA vs. Purdue prediction, odds, and expert picks expect Matt Painter's team to rebound as a 5.5-point home favorite.
💰 UCLA vs. Purdue predictions, expert picks & best bets today
Here are my best UCLA vs. Purdue predictions, expert picks, and best bets today with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our college basketball picks along with our guide on how to bet on college basketball.
- Against the spread pick: Purdue -5.5 (-108 via DraftKings) vs. UCLA ⭐⭐⭐
- My best player prop bet: Braden Smith Over 7.5 assists (+100 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Exact score prediction: Purdue 76, UCLA 69 (+18000 via DraftKings) ⭐
🏀 UCLA vs. Purdue ATS prediction & best player prop bet pick
Here's why I'm betting on Purdue to cover the spread (-5.5) while targeting Braden Smith Over 7.5 assists as my best player prop bet pick for today:
✅ Purdue to cover the spread (-5.5) ⭐⭐⭐
On paper, it might be a surprise to see Purdue favored by 5.5 points after losing four straight games while UCLA is on a 9-2 run. But the Boilermakers' schedule has been a gauntlet as of late, playing three AP Top 25 teams (Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State), and then having to play Indiana on the road.
Even with that skid, Purdue is 11-6 ATS in conference play and sits 11th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, per KenPom. Returning to Mackey Arena should give Painter's squad a boost too, they're 12-2 at home this season and the Bruins have to come across the country to play them.
UCLA has also come back down to earth in recent matchups and dropped games to Illinois and Minnesota and is just 8-9 ATS in Big Ten play. Mick Cronin's slow-paced offense could struggle to keep up with Purdue too. The Bruins are just 15th in PPG in conference games (72.3).
📊 Best odds: -108 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $9.26)
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🔥 Braden Smith Over 7.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Although Purdue's losing streak knocked Braden Smith out of the Wooden Award odds race, he's still been playing at an All-American level for much of the season. The Boilermakers' lead guard is second in the country in assists per game (8.7) and should be able to hand out assists against this UCLA defense.
For as good as the Bruins have been defensively, they're 314th in the country in assists allowed per game (12.5) and that's only gone up in Big Ten play where they're 12th (12.9). Smith's put up eight-plus assists in 15 of 28 games this season (53.6%) and even during Purdue's four-game losing streak, he's averaging eight assists per game.
Given Smith's propensity for passing, I'm jumping on these even-money odds at our best sports betting sites.
📊 Best odds: +100 via FanDuel (bet $10 to win $10)
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🎯 Expert UCLA vs. Purdue score prediction & AI projections
🔮 Expert score prediction: Purdue 77, UCLA 69
🤖 AI score prediction: UCLA 75, Purdue 68
🔮 Expert score prediction: Purdue 77, UCLA 69
While Purdue has struggled as of late, returning home after nearly a week off should help Painter's team get back on track. UCLA is also flying across the country to play in one of the toughest environments in college basketball after going just 2-2 in its last four.
📊 Best odds: +18000 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $1,800)
🤖 AI score prediction: UCLA 75, Purdue 68
(Score prediction and analysis via ChatGPT - a large language model from OpenAI not specifically designed for predicting sporting events)
🖥️ AI predictions for UCLA vs. Purdue
Considering UCLA's recent strong performances and Purdue's current losing streak, the projected final score is UCLA 75, Purdue 68.
- Win probability: UCLA 65% | Purdue 35%
- Projected total points: 143
- Key takeaways:
- The Bruins have won nine of their last 11 games, showcasing strong form as they approach this contest
- Purdue is currently on a four-game losing streak, including a recent 73-58 loss to Indiana, indicating struggles in their recent performances
- The Bruins' superior depth allows them to maintain high energy and performance levels throughout the game, which could be advantageous against a struggling Purdue squad
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI score prediction leans toward UCLA covering the spread (+5.5) and a total of Over 139 points.
📊 Live UCLA vs. Purdue odds & latest betting splits
Here are the latest odds for UCLA vs. Purdue, which update live in real time. You can also check out our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool for the latest college basketball odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your region.
🔢 UCLA vs. Purdue opening odds
Here's a look at the opening odds for UCLA vs. Purdue according to bet365.
- Spread: UCLA +5.5 (-110) | Purdue -5.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: UCLA +195 | Purdue -240
- Over/Under: Over 140.5 (-110) | Under 140.5 (-110)
🏆 Who will win UCLA vs. Purdue?
As of Friday afternoon, Purdue is favored by 5.5 points to beat UCLA with moneyline odds of -230 at FanDuel, which suggests a 69.70% win probability for the Boilermakers. We're predicting a 77-69 win for Purdue as our final score projection.
So far, 49% of bettors have wagered against the spread on Purdue -5.5, while 56% of bettors expect the game to finish Over the projected total of 139 points.
📺 How to watch UCLA vs. Purdue tonight
📅 Date: Friday, Feb. 28, 2025
🕗 Time: 8 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Ind.)
📺 TV: FOX
💻 Streaming: Fubo
❓UCLA vs. Purdue FAQs
Who is favored to win UCLA vs. Purdue?
Purdue is a -230 moneyline favorite, implying a 69.70% probability the Boilermakers will beat UCLA.
What are the betting odds for UCLA vs. Purdue?
The latest spread is Purdue -5.5 (-108) with a total of 139 points (-110).
What will be the final score of UCLA vs. Purdue?
We're predicting a final score of Purdue 77, UCLA 69 entering tonight's matchup at Mackey Arena.
What time is UCLA vs. Purdue tonight?
UCLA vs. Purdue is tonight at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
🏀 Best college basketball betting sites
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