by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Nov 27, 2021
Time: 5 p.m. ET
Venue: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV
Where to watch: Stadium
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: UCLA -11
BetMGM: UCLA -10.5
Caesars: UCLA -11
Season record
No. 2 UCLA: 5-1
UNLV: 4-2
Will Rogers posted a 5-1-0 run on the college hardwood this week and looks to keep the run going on Saturday in an action-packed weekend. Catch Will’s and other plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
UCLA - UNLV preview and analysis
Recent form
UCLA: lost 83-63 vs. No. 1 Gonzaga on Tuesday
UNLV: won 101-45 vs. Whittier College on Wednesday
The UCLA Bruins will try to bounce back from their first loss of the season on Saturday when they face the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels.
UCLA is coming off a 20-point loss to the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs in a rematch of last year’s Final Four. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the way with 19 points but needed to shoot 7 of 22 to get that mark. Johnny Juzang, who leads the Bruins in scoring, scored just 11 points for the second consecutive game on just 5 of 11 shooting.
"We're not a good defensive team and we got exposed by a great team," UCLA coach Mick Cronin said.
One game is not a make-or-break event in November, but this matchup for UCLA has purpose for the books. The Bruins have failed to cover in three of their last four despite covering the previous six.
Leading the way in that department should be UCLA’s defense. This group of athletic wings and tenacious rebounding should do better than averaging 70.3 points per game. Even with starting center Cody Riley out for a few more weeks, it should not hinder UCLA from being one of the best teams in college basketball.
But what’s going to be interesting in this game is how the don’t-call-them UNLV Rebels respond to another matchup against a, for now, top-5 team. UNLV failed to get a victory in the hometown Roman Main Event this week, losing 74-61 in a hard-fought matchup against the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines, and then a controversial 1-point loss to the Wichita State Shockers at T-Mobile Arena.
The Rebels rebounded with a dominant 56-point win over Whittier College. In what was a short night for the starting five, Justin Webster led the way with 17 points off the bench on 7 of 10 shooting, and the UNLV offense shot 52.6 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from behind the arc.
First-year head coach Kevin Kruger has clearly shown he has a hard-working group on his side as he leads the program he once played for, hopefully, to an NCAA Tournament appearance. But this might be too tough a test to overcome.
Prediction
UNLV went five in a row without covering before that 3.5 cover against Wichita State. I don’t expect the Rebels to have luck strike twice. UCLA has to be feeling frustrated after what happened against Gonzaga, and should handle everything accordingly. UCLA by 15
Betting trends
UCLA is 5-1 ATS in its last six road games.
The over is 4-1 in UCLA’s last five games as a favorite.
The over is 4-0 in UNLV’s last four home games as a home dog.
UNLV is 0-4 ATS in its last four following a straight-up win.
Projected starting lineup
UCLA:
PG: Tyger Campbell
SG: Jules Bernard
SF: Johnny Juzang
PF: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
C: Myles Johnson
SF: Johnny Juzang
PF: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
C: Myles Johnson
UNLV:
PG: Jordan McCabe
SG: Mike Nuga
SF: Bryce Hamilton
PF: Donovan Williams
C: Royce Hamm Jr.
SF: Bryce Hamilton
PF: Donovan Williams
C: Royce Hamm Jr.
Statistical leaders
UCLA:
Points: Johnny Juzang -- 18.3
Rebounds: Jamie Jaquez Jr. -- 7.3
Assists: Tyger Campbell -- 4.2
UNLV:
Points: Bryce Hamilton -- 15.8
Rebounds: Royce Hamm Jr. -- 11.7
Assists: Jordan McCabe -- 4.2
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
