Gonzaga vs. UCLA: College Basketball Odds & Picks (Wednesday)

It's been a solid start to the season and is only getting more exciting with Feast Week upon us. Tonight features an excellent slate as the Maui Invitational features the championship game, and the Battle 4 Atlantis begins along with multiple other in-season tournaments.

We are starting to get some valuable data and seeing where some of the elite teams sit. As always, be sure to shop around for the best odds. It may not be Thanksgiving yet, but let's eat early with some winning bets, shall we?

Here are my best bets for Wednesday’s slate. Below we dive into Gonzaga vs. UCLA.

Wednesday’s College Basketball Best Bets: Gonzaga vs. UCLA

Last Time: 1-2 | Season: 11-6

Gonzaga vs. UCLA

I truly love it when the third-best game on the slate is Gonzaga-UCLA. What's better than this?

This game features a true clash of styles. Gonzaga loves to run it, while UCLA has the 296th slowest pace. The Bruins will back the lane, allowing more perimeter shots, while over 60% of Gonzaga's points have come from inside the arc, the 28th highest in the nation.

For their similarities, both teams rebound well and rank in the top 20 in perimeter defense. Adem Bona is a force down-low for UCLA, with a 12.2% block rate, the 25th highest among all DI players. Gonzaga prefers the interior look but the Bruins own the fourth-best near-proximity defense in the country. This is no Syracuse.

With both teams losing their opening game, neither squad wants to go home with two losses. That said, this is the third game in as many days with a remarkably late, midnight Eastern start time. I expect UCLA to control the pace and eliminate the second-chance opportunities for the Zags. I won't take the Bruins outright, but they showed their ability to compete by going shot for shot against Marquette. This will be a one-possession game in a low-scoring affair.

Play: UCLA +5.5 (-110 via PointsBet)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Wednesday: