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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\nKey Matchups and Handicap: Arizona vs UCLA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Season-opening meetings between these programs are nothing new. Fans of the John Wooden era will remember the first post-Lew Alcindor Bruins team of 1969-70, led by Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe and featuring the varsity debut of sophomore guard Henry Bibby. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
That group opened its national title defense on December 1, 1969, at Pauley Pavilion against the Wildcats and cruised to a 90-65 victory, a clear message that UCLA still meant business. Those Bruins went on to win the next four national championships even without Alcindor\/Abdul-Jabbar. That was then. Now, the edge looks to belong to Arizona, even if only slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Arizona Reloads the Perimeter Around Caleb Holt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Tommy Lloyd is making manageable changes from last season's Final Four team. The headliner is blue-chip freshman guard Caleb Holt, who is projected as a new star and expected to become the first option on the perimeter after the departures of Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley. Replacing two key guards is never simple, but Holt gives the Wildcats a go-to scorer from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Krivas Anchors the ARIZ Frontcourt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The floor should still balance for Arizona because 7-foot-2 Motiejus Krivas resisted the temptation to jump to the NBA or enter the portal. He returns as perhaps the best rebounder and rim protector in the Big XII, and his presence inside gives Lloyd a reliable foundation while the new backcourt pieces settle in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Lloyd is also still waiting on resolution of Clemson transfer RJ Godfrey's eligibility, a 6-foot-8 power forward who would add even more depth up front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
UCLA Searches for Life After Bilodeau<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Mick Cronin should field another Big Dance qualifier in Westwood, but there is a clear concern. The last two UCLA editions scuffled when forward Tyler Bilodeau was off the court, and he is now property of the Brooklyn Nets. Bilodeau scored a team-high 19 points in last November's 69-65 loss to the Wildcats at the LA Clippers' Intuit Dome, the most recent meeting between these former Pac-12 enemies. Finding a replacement for that production is the central question for UCLA in this opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Bruins Turn to Freshman Nikola Kurustica<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The most intriguing new piece for Cronin is touted 6-foot-9 freshman Nikola Kurustica, who is only 17 years old. How quickly he fits into the rotation matters, because Cronin's teams usually take a while to sort out their mix. An early-season neutral-site test against a Final Four program is a steep first assignment for a roster still finding its identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Arizona Gets a Home-Away-From-Home Edge in Vegas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The T-Mobile Arena setting is another factor tilting toward Arizona. It gives Wildcats fans who cannot land a ticket to McKale Center a chance to see their team, and they have shown up in Las Vegas in big numbers before. Expect a pro-Arizona crowd, which effectively turns a neutral-site game into something closer to a home game for Lloyd's group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
ARIZ vs UCLA Betting Trends<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nARIZ vs UCLA Key Injuries and Notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nArizona vs UCLA ATS and Total Picks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
ATS Pick: Arizona -4.5 (-115).<\/strong> Arizona returns the best piece on the floor in Krivas, adds a projected star in Holt, and gets a crowd edge in Las Vegas. UCLA, meanwhile, must replace Bilodeau, the player whose absence repeatedly caused problems the last two seasons, and Cronin's rosters typically need time to come together. The line has come back to the opening number of 4.5, which is a better price than the 5.5 available earlier in the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nTotal Pick: Under 149.5 (-112).<\/strong> The total has slipped from 150.5 to 149.5, and the bigger money is leaning under even as most tickets back the over. The last meeting finished with just 134 points, Krivas is an elite rim protector, and both teams are working new pieces into early-season rotations. That points toward a game played below this number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\nArizona vs UCLA Best Bets<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\nFinal Score Prediction for UCLA vs Arizona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Arizona has the more settled frontcourt, a new perimeter star, and a friendly crowd in Las Vegas, while UCLA is still sorting out life without Tyler Bilodeau. Expect the Wildcats to grind out a margin that clears the number in a game that stays under the total.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
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