Picks, predictions for UCLA vs. Utah on Thursday, February 23

The No. 4 UCLA Bruins will hit the road for a matchup with the Utah Utes on Thursday night from Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game will get started at 11:00 p.m. ET and can be seen on FS1.

I’m coming off a night where the picks went 6-0, so let’s take a look at the odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook and make some picks.

UCLA vs. Utah odds

Spread: UCLA -7
Over/Under: 131.5
Moneyline: UCLA -305, Utah +255

UCLA (23-4, 14-2 Pac-12) hasn’t lost in February and will look to extend its winning streak to seven games on Thursday night. The Bruins are coming off a 78-43 domination over the California Golden Bears on Saturday despite big men Kenneth Nwuba (hip) and Abramo Canka (non-COVID illness) being held out of that victory. UCLA rates second overall in KenPom, including second in adjusted defensive efficiency and 24th offensively.

Utah (17-11, 10-7 Pac-12) lost consecutive games including a 67-59 road defeat against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Saturday. Branden Carlson, Lazar Stefanovic and Marco Anthony all scored a team-high 12 points in the loss. Leading assist man Rollie Worster (ankle) is unlikely to be available after leaving Saturday’s game, and Gabe Madsen (lower leg) has been without second-leading scorer Gabe Madsen (lower leg) since January 28th. Utah rates 54th overall in KenPom including a 34th-rated defense in adjusted efficiency, and the Utes are 100th offensively.

The Pick: Utah +7

This is a huge week for the Utes as they return home following consecutive road losses. Barely holding on to bubble status for the NCAA Tournament, this is pretty much a must-win situation for Utah. The strong motivation edge in this spot is a significant reason the Utes will cover this number with a big head start at home.