Michigan vs. UCLA Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Tuesday, January 7th

Reed Wallach | Jan 7, 2025

Dec 28, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin talks to his team during a timeout in the second half against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Michigan and UCLA meet in Big Ten action out west on Tuesday night. 

The Bruins' defense has been stifling all season but will face a stiff test against the Michigan offense that has thrived this season under a new-look offense in head coach Dusty May’s first season in Ann Arbor. Yale transfer Danny Wolf has operated as a point forward for the Wolverines and has worked nicely with FAU transfer Vladislav Goldin. 

Can the Wolverines offense find answers against the Bruins? 

Here’s our betting preview. 

Michigan vs. UCLA Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Michigan: +2.5 (-105)
• UCLA: -2.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• Michigan: +122
• UCLA: -146

Total: 142.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Michigan vs. UCLA How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, January 7th
• Game Time: 10:00 PM EST
• Venue: Pauley Pavilion 
• How to Watch (TV): Peacock
• Michigan Record: 11-3
• UCLA Record: 11-3

Michigan vs. UCLA Key Players to Watch

Michigan

Danny Wolf: Wolf is leading the Wolverines in points, rebounds, and assists as a do-it-all threat for the roster. He is fresh off a 21-point, 13 rebounds, and seven assist effort against USC in which he added six blocks. 

UCLA

Eric Dailey: Dailey was a late scratch to the Bruins loss at Nebraska over the weekend due to a lingering facial injury. The Oklahoma State transfer is incredibly impactful and would be the one tasked with slowing down Wolf. He is averaging 11 points per game with four rebounds and more than a steal per game while shooting 54% from the field as a floor stretch big man. 

Michigan vs. UCLA Prediction and Pick

The status of Dailey is huge ahead of this one. When the UCLA forward is off the floor, the team is scoring about 31 fewer points per 100 possessions and allowing about 10 more points per 100, per Hoop-Explorer. 

Dailey would be the primary assignment against Wolf, who is the hub of the Wolverines offense. If Dailey is in, Wolf should face some stiff defense and it should allow the elite UCLA defense to feast on a shaky ball-handling group of Michigan. 

The Wolverines are 336th in turnover percentage this season and will face the most turnover-driven defense in the country in UCLA, which is forcing a turnover on 26% of its defensive percentage, per KenPom. 

While Michigan’s offense has been operating at a high level, I can’t trust the group on the road to handle the Bruins's defense that matches up very nicely with the Wolverines' backcourt. 

UCLA’s offense has struggled at times this season, 89th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, but the team’s defense can dominate this game with its elite ball pressure at home. 

If Dailey is on the floor, count on the Bruins to win by a few possessions. 

PICK: UCLA -2.5

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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