The UCLA Bruins take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
Ohio State is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a price of 65 cents to win, and the total set at 147.5 points on Fanatics Markets.
Here’s my UCLA vs. Ohio State prediction and college basketball picks for January 17, 2026.
UCLA vs Ohio State Prediction
My Pick: Ohio State -5 or Better
My UCLA vs Ohio State best bet is on the Buckeyes to cover. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
UCLA vs. Ohio State Odds
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UCLA vs Ohio State College Basketball Betting Preview
UCLA Basketball
After losing to Wisconsin, Mick Cronin was none too pleased about his team's defense.
Since then, the Bruins held Maryland and Penn State to 55 points and 60 points, respectively.
However, I don't think UCLA has actually turned a corner.
Playing a pair of woeful offensive teams helped, and Penn State went 4-for-25 from deep. On the flip side, the Nittany Lions connected on 66% of their 2-point shots, and UCLA has struggled to defend the rim all season.
UCLA ranks 192nd nationally in 2-point field goal defense (51%). Rebounding is another problem for the Bruins, as opponents grab offensive rebounds at a 32% clip.
Offensively, the Bruins will need more from point guard Donovan Dent. He was a prized transfer, but the Bruins' slower tempo has made for a tough transition. The speedy guard is down to 12 points per game on just 41% shooting, including a woeful 9% from deep.
He needs to be the engine that boosts UCLA from 52nd nationally in offensive efficiency.
Tyler Bilodeau is UCLA's top offensive option. The 6-foot-9 forward is tough to defend due to his inside-and-out scoring. He leads the Bruins with 18 points per game.
Cronin seems to have zero trust in his bigs outside of Bilodeau. Most of that is due to defense. He played Eric Dailey Jr., Xavier Booker, Steven Jamerson II and Brandon Williams for 12 to 24 minutes each. It's a revolving door of bigs.
It seems that UCLA will be without Skyy Clark, the team's second-leading scorer, once again. Trent Perry, who scored 15-plus points in all three games without Clark, would start again.
Tempo-wise, UCLA ranks 289th nationally in adjusted tempo.
The interesting part is UCLA drains 18 seconds off the opponent's shot clock on average, which is 348th nationally. While on the offensive end, the Bruins rank 187th in average possession length.
Ohio State Basketball
To trust Jake Diebler, or not trust Jake Diebler.
The Buckeyes likely need an NCAA Tournament bid to save Diebler's job, and that's far from a sure thing.
Scoring is the strength of the Buckeyes. They rank 31st nationally in offensive efficiency and 14th in 2-point field goal percentage (60%).
A good chunk of the scoring comes from stud guard Bruce Thornton.
He averages over 20 points pr game while shooting 56% from the field and 43% from deep. When Thornton gets in the lane, it's almost a done deal that something good will happen. He can score for himself, dish to sniper John Mobley Jr., or pass to one of the burly bigs, Devin Royal and Amare Bynum.
Plus, the Buckeyes can take advantage of the Bruins' issues on the boards. They have length and collect offensive boards 33% of the time.
The issues arise on the defensive end.
In four of Ohio State's five losses, the winning opponent shot better than 55% from inside the arc. That's been a sore spot for the Buckeyes all year, as opponents shot 50% from 2-point range, ranking 145th nationally.
They have no rim protectors, which is a real issue. Teams can score at will on the Buckeyes interior, but they limit teams to 29% shooting from deep.
That feels like a big key for Ohio State. If it can stay in front of Dent and force UCLA to shoot 3s, that'll be a big boost for its shaky defense.
UCLA vs. Ohio State Betting Analysis
As we know, Coach Cronin despises the Big Ten travel.
If UCLA loses, you'll likely hear him lament the five-hour flight from Los Angeles to Columbus.
The travel isn't the only real reason I'm laying the points with Ohio State, but it's another reason to take the home team.
Stylistically, I think UCLA will struggle to keep Thornton at bay. Nobody really contains him, but Dent will struggle to keep the bigger Thornton out of the lane.
Rebounding will also play a factor. Hopefully, 7-footer Christoph Tilly is a go for Ohio State. Even if he's not, I trust Bynum and Royal to take advantage of UCLA's issues on the glass.
I'm still lukewarm on UCLA. The best win to date for the Bruins is over Washington.
The Bruins have struggled against better competition, and Ohio State is better competition.
My Pick: Ohio State -5 or Better
