UCLA at Ohio State Prediction, Picks & Odds

Mick Cronin has several problems as head coach of the UCLA Bruins. First is the Ghost of John Wooden. The late great UCLA coach set an impossible standard in a bygone era when he looked the other way as Sam Gilbert made under-the-table NIL payments, then known as cheating.

Beyond that, Cronin made the “mistake” of taking UCLA to the 2021 Final Four. Hence, he set college basketball betting expectations that can’t be achieved annually in today’s era of parity.

Additionally, Cronin has to deal with the insane Wild West era of no rules, NIL, and the revolving door portal.

Cronin is now dealing with what all of his post-Wooden predecessors have had to endure. Unreasonable and demanding, UCLA fans believe that a national championship is to be won every year. The Ghost of Wooden haunts all, 51 years after his retirement.

On Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes host the UCLA Bruins in a CBS Saturday game. The matchup is more about branding than about the reality of a national championship.

UCLA at Ohio State Preview

On Saturday, January 17, 2026, the Ohio State Buckeyes will host the UCLA Bruins at Value City Arena in Columbus, OH. Tipoff time is 1 p.m. ET with television coverage on CBS.

Public Betting Odds Factors

• Despite a respectable record, UCLA has been a terrible value against the college basketball spread.

• UCLA’s brand is so big that it has to win nearly every game, by wide margins, just to break even.

• Ohio State is also deep in the red ink.

• Because of the recent poor form of both teams, betting action will split evenly between sharps and squares.

UCLA at Ohio State Predictions

Handicapping Factors to Consider 

• With all else being equal, home court is a proven advantage in this series.
• Ohio State will get a more favorable home price than usual because of the powerful and legacy UCLA brand.

• UCLA’s inconsistent offense has become a drag on its betting value and capability to win games.

UCLA at Ohio State Prime Best Bet: Ohio State Buckeyes

UCLA at Ohio State Betting Tips

UCLA Bruins 

• UCLA has NCAABB metrics of 193^rd for scoring offense, 62^nd for field goal percentage, 51^st for 3-point field goal percentage, 54^th for free throw percentage, and 334^th for offensive rebounding.

• On defense, the Bruins rank 49th in scoring defense, 88th in field goal percentage allowed, 31st in 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 67th in defensive rebounding.

• The UCLA Bruins are 12-5 straight up, 7-10 against the spread, and 9-8 over/under the total.

• UCLA has covered two out of its last six games.

• The Bruins have gone under the total in four of their previous four matchups.

Ohio State Buckeyes 

• Ohio State has NCAABB metrics of 102^nd in scoring offense, 23rd in field goal percentage, 192nd in 3-point field goal percentage, 7th in free throw percentage, and 225th in offensive rebounding.

• On defense, the 104^th Buckeyes NCAABB metrics of 104^th for scoring defense, 84^th for field goal percentage permitted, 35^th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 34^th for defensive rebounding.

• The Ohio State Buckeyes are 11-5 straight up, 6-10 against the spread, and 7-9 over/under the total.

• Ohio State has covered the college basketball spread in just two out of its last eight games.

• The Buckeyes have gone under the total in five of their previous six matchups.

UCLA at Ohio State Head-to-Head and Key Stats

• UCLA covered the spread in only five of its last 16 away games.

• The Bruins went over the total in 13 of their most recent 20 matchups.

• Ohio State got the cash in only three of its last 12 home games.

• The Buckeyes went under the total in five of its last seven home games.

• In the series between Ohio State and UCLA, the Bruins covered the spread in only one of the last four meetings.

• The Bruins and Buckeyes went under the total in their two most recent meetings.

• Specifically at Ohio State, UCLA covered only one of its last four visits.

• In fact, the home team is 5-0 against the spread in this series.

• Two of the last three games between the Bruins and Buckeyes at Ohio State went over the total.