drew-timme-usatsi-gonzaga.jpg
USATSI

A spot in the Elite Eight is up for grabs when the second-seeded UCLA Bruins and No. 3 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs collide in a Sweet 16 matchup in the West Region of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Thursday. Both teams lost in this round last year after meeting in the Final Four in 2021, with UCLA falling to North Carolina and Gonzaga being knocked out by Arkansas. The Bruins are coming off a 68-63 triumph over Northwestern while the Bulldogs, who posted a 93-90 overtime victory against UCLA two years ago, got past TCU 84-81 in the second round.

Tipoff at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. is set for 9:45 p.m. ET on CBS. The Bruins are 1-point favorites in the latest UCLA vs. Gonzaga odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 145. Before locking in any Gonzaga vs. UCLA picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters the Sweet 16 round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament 83-54 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,500 for $100 players. It also went 4-1 on top-rated picks during the first week of March Madness. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns. 

Now, the model has set its sights on UCLA vs. Gonzaga and revealed its coveted picks and predictions for the NCAA Tournament 2023. You can head to SportsLine to see the picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Gonzaga vs. UCLA:

  • UCLA vs. Gonzaga spread: Bruins -1
  • UCLA vs. Gonzaga over/under: 145 points
  • UCLA vs. Gonzaga money line: Bruins -115, Bulldogs -105
  • UCLA: The Bruins are 8-3 against the spread in their last 11 NCAA Tournament games
  • GON: The Bulldogs have failed to cover their last seven March Madness contests
  • UCLA vs. Gonzaga picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why UCLA can cover

The Bruins have a young roster that includes eight freshmen, but they also have a handful of members of the 2020-21 team that will have revenge on their minds. One is Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was UCLA's second-leading scorer in the Final Four loss to Gonzaga with 19 points. The senior guard has performed well in this year's Tournament, recording 17 points against UNC Asheville in the first round and a game-high 24 versus Northwestern on Saturday.

Another player hoping to avenge the setback against the Bulldogs is Tyger Campbell, who registered 17 points and seven assists in that contest. Also a senior guard, Campbell has gone just 2-for-16 from the floor over his first two March Madness games this year and missed all seven of his shots against the Wildcats but was 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. Junior guard Jaylen Clark (Achilles) won't have the chance to get even, but senior guard David Singleton hopes to get the opportunity after injuring his ankle late in the win against Northwestern. The Bruins are also hopeful that freshman big man Adem Bona will be able to go after injuring his shoulder last weekend.

Why Gonzaga can cover 

Drew Timme made sure his collegiate career continued on Sunday as he scored a game-high 28 points and pulled down eight rebounds against the Horned Frogs. The senior forward recorded 17 points in the second half and sank his third 3-pointer of the season during a 13-0 run that gave the Bulldogs a 63-55 lead. Timme was impressive in the Final Four triumph over UCLA two years ago, scoring Gonzaga's first six points of overtime and finishing with a team-high 25 on 11-of-15 shooting.

Guards Rasir Bolton (17 points), Malachi Smith (11) and Julian Strawther (10) also scored in double figures against TCU as they combined for the Bulldogs' seven other 3-pointers. Smith, who produced 14 points in Gonzaga's victory against Saint Mary's in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship game, came off the bench to go 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and grab five boards. Strawther pulled down nine rebounds and senior forward Anton Watson also fell just shy of recording a double-double, finishing with 12 boards and nine points. 

How to make Gonzaga vs. UCLA picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 153 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Gonzaga vs. UCLA? And which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.