The Purdue Boilermakers take on the UCLA Bruins in Los Angeles, CA. Tip-off is set for 10 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Purdue is favored by 6 points on the spread with a moneyline of -250. The total is set at 146.5 points.
Here’s my Purdue vs. UCLA predictions and college basketball picks for January 20, 2026.
Purdue vs UCLA Prediction
My Pick: UCLA +6
My Purdue vs UCLA best bet is on the Bruins to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Purdue vs. UCLA Odds
| Purdue Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6 -110 | 146.5 -110 / -110 | -250 |
| UCLA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6 -110 | 146.5 -110 / -110 | +205 |
- Purdue vs UCLA spread: Purdue -6
- Purdue vs UCLA over/under: 146.5 points
- Purdue vs UCLA moneyline: Purdue -250, UCLA +205
Purdue vs UCLA College Basketball Betting Preview
Purdue Basketball
After an extremely tight five-point victory over USC on Saturday, the Boilermakers enter Tuesday’s contest against UCLA with a 17-1 overall record.
Matt Painter continues his reign of dominance, as Purdue appears to be well on its way to making 11 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and 16 of the last 19 over the course of his tenure.
The fifth-ranked Boilermakers have been unstoppable offensively, as senior guard Braden Smith leads the charge, posting 15 points per game, in addition to over nine assists, which ranks first in the country.
Purdue’s backcourt also features senior 3-point specialist Fletcher Loyer, who's also played a significant role in the Boilermakers’ considerable success over the past four seasons.
While Painter’s bunch doesn't “wow you” with athleticism, Trey Kaufman-Renn has definitely made up for it in Purdue’s frontcourt. The senior forward has been stellar in the paint on both ends of the floor, grabbing over nine rebounds per game, while also converting on 60% of his field goal attempts.
The Boilermakers have also been stout defensively, ranking inside the top 20 in defensive efficiency.
Purdue enters a very difficult stretch of its Big Ten schedule. Painter’s squad has certainly proved itself over the course of the season thus far, with huge victories over the likes of Alabama, Texas Tech and Auburn.
Purdue’s sole defeat on the season came versus a stacked Iowa State team, which has also proven to be a top-five team.
UCLA Basketball
The Bruins enter Tuesday night’s contest with Purdue with a 12-6 overall record, while also winning four of their first seven Big Ten matchups.
Mick Cronin is in his seventh season as UCLA’s head coach, and he holds a pretty impressive track record, making the NCAA Tournament in four of those seasons, one of which includes a Final Four appearance in 2021.
One of the biggest moves in the transfer portal this offseason came with Cronin landing former Lobo guard Donovan Dent. The 6-foot-2 senior was one of the best two-way players in the entire country playing for Richard Pitino's New Mexico squad.
While Dent was top-10 in the preseason odds to win the Naismith Award, he's been somewhat of a disappointment for UCLA over his first 18 games. Dent is averaging just 12 points per game, but he's had a ton of success dishing the rock, posting 6.5 assists per game, which ranks inside the top 15 nationally.
A big component of that success has come from the emergence of 6-foot-9 senior forward Tyler Bilodeau. In his second season with UCLA, Bilodeau is scoring 18.5 points per game, along with over five rebounds.
The Bruins rank top-50 in the nation in offensive efficiency, according to KenPom, in large part due to the contributions of Dent and Bilodeau.
On the other end of the floor, UCLA’s defense ranks pretty close to its offense, with a defensive efficiency rating of 50th.
Purdue vs. UCLA Betting Analysis
Over its first 18 games, Purdue has undoubtedly cemented itself as one of the most complete teams in the country. However, in college basketball, each matchup is a difficult test, especially in the heart of a stacked conference schedule like that of the Big Ten.
The Boilermakers are definitely the far better team, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some regression as Painter’s squad looks to win its 10th consecutive game to improve to 8-0 in the Big Ten.
UCLA’s lack of consistency makes me very worried, but I think it definitely has a shot to make this game interesting.
While the Bruins may not leave Tuesday’s contest with an outright victory, I think they're catching a few too many points versus a Purdue team that's far better on its home floor as opposed to playing on the road.
It’s tough to have definitive confidence in a UCLA team that's been subpar in several of its games this season, but I'm willing to take a shot on Cronin’s Bruins to give Purdue a tough test.
My Pick: UCLA +6
