Illinois vs UCLA Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for Nov. 18 (Experience Pays Off for the Bruins in Las Vegas)

Illinois vs UCLA Game Info

2022-23 NCAA College Basketball Regular Season Game
No. 19 Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0) vs. No. 8 UCLA Bruins (3-0)
Date: Friday, Nov. 18, 2022
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Venue: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, NV
Coverage: ESPNU

The 2022-23 college basketball season continues on Friday with a thrilling matchup between the No. 19 Illinois Fighting Illini and No. 8 UCLA Bruins. Illinois remains undefeated after a 103-65 thrashing of Monmouth on Monday. Senior Terrence Shannon Jr. shined with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

Meanwhile, UCLA took care of business its last time out with a 86-56 win over Norfolk State. Six different players on head coach Mick Cronin's shined with double-digit scoring efforts. It was junior Jaylen Clark that shined the brightest, though, given his 19 points (7-of-11 shooting) and 9 rebounds.

Illinois vs UCLA Odds & Spread

All NCAA college basketball betting lines, odds and prop bets.
Moneyline: ILL: (+136) | UCLA: (-164)
Spread: ILL: +3.5 (-110) | UCLA: -3.5 (-110)
Total: 145.5 —Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)

UCLA enters this contest as small favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 9:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 145.5 points, which is above average compared to Friday's projected totals.

Illinois vs UCLA Prediction & Pick

The Bruins have lost to the eventual runner-up in back-to-back NCAA tournaments now. This season serves as their last chance to win a title with seniors Jaime Jacquez and Tyger Campbell leading the way. Each player is averaging over 12.5 points per game on 46.0% shooting or better so far this year.

This game may being played on a neutral site, but the advantage goes to UCLA. Its fans will be able to travel to Las Vegas with relative ease and T-Mobile Arena is home to the Pac-12 tournament every season. The Bruins' experience will be enough to outlast a Fighting Illini squad full of newcomers.

Final Score Prediction: Illinois: 70 | UCLA: 77

Illinois vs UCLA Betting Trends

- Illinois is 1-4 straight up in its last five games against a Pac-12 opponent.
- The total has hit the under in six of Illinois' last eight games.
- UCLA is 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last five games.
- The total has hit the under in four of UCLA's last six games.

Illinois vs UCLA Best Bet

A good offense isn't all the Bruins have going for them, either. UCLA is giving up only 58.3 points per game (T-No. 38 in NCAA) on 39.2% shooting. The addition of freshman Adem Bona and the growth of junior Jaylen Clark has transformed Cronin's team into one that makes an impact all over the court.

Keep in mind Illinois is a dismal 1-6 against the spread (ATS) in its last seven neutral site games. The Fighting Illini are also 1-4 straight up in their last five games against a Pac-12 opponent. The Bruins have covered the spread in each of their first three games and enter with a clear edge in this game.

Bet: UCLA Bruins -3.5 (-110)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.