Halftime Report
New Mexico is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead UCLA 41-30.
New Mexico has yet to string together two consecutive wins, but this may be their chance. For now, things are looking good for them.
Who’s Playing
New Mexico Lobos @ UCLA Bruins
Current Records: New Mexico 1-0, UCLA 1-0
How To Watch
What to Know
The UCLA Bruins will face off against the New Mexico Lobos at 11:00 p.m. ET on Friday at Lee’s Family Forum. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
UCLA gave their fans exactly what they wanted out of a home opener on Monday. They took their matchup with ease, bagging an 85-50 win over Rider. The margin was wide but not a surprise since the spread was 26.5 in the Bruins’ favor.
UCLA’s success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Tyler Bilodeau led the charge by going 9 for 16 en route to 18 points plus six rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Dylan Andrews, who went 6 for 11 en route to 14 points plus six assists.
UCLA was working as a unit and finished the game with 21 assists. That’s the most assists they’ve posted since back in November of 2023.
Meanwhile, New Mexico beat Nicholls 91-84 on Monday.
Nelly Junior Joseph went supernova for New Mexico, dropping a double-double on 28 points and 16 rebounds. What’s more, Junior Joseph also racked up six offensive rebounds, the most he’s had since back in January. Donovan Dent was another key player, dropping a double-double on 15 points and 11 assists.
UCLA is expected to win their second contest of the season, and that’s good news given their solid 9-7 record as favorites last season. While their fans probably aren’t happy about it, betting on the team to lose was the smart play last year, as bettors who put $100 on that outcome every game finished the season up $1,236.69. On the other hand, New Mexico was 1-5 as the underdog last season.
Odds
UCLA is a solid 5.5-point favorite against New Mexico, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Bruins as a 6-point favorite.
The over/under is 150.5 points.
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