New Mexico vs. UCLA Prediction College Basketball Tips 11/8/24

Junior forward Tyler Bilodeau led UCLA’s offense with 18 points and 6 rebounds, while Dylan Andrews followed with 14 points and a team-high 6 assists. After this game, UCLA will face Boston U.

New Mexico Lobos preview

The New Mexico Lobos are coming off a strong 26-10 season and finished 6th in the Mountain West with a conference record of 10-8. New Mexico had a dominant 13-3 home record and 5-6 away record. New Mexico was 19-11 ATS and 18-12 in the over/under.

In their season opener on Monday, the Lobos defeated Nicholls State at home, 91-84. New Mexico was unable to erase the -18 point lead and the game went beyond the total score of 151.5. The Lobos’ 91 points scored ranked them in the top 100 in the country (97th), while their 84 points allowed ranked just 294th. New Mexico didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, shooting just 38% from the field and 19% from downtown, while Nicholls State shot 42% and 41%, respectively. The Lobos were very focused in this game as they only committed 8 turnovers while forcing Nicholls State to commit twice as many turnovers (16).

The senior forward led the Lobos with a dominant performance. He had a game-high 28 points scored and 16 rebound points, a monster double-double. Junior forward Donovan Dent added 15 points and a game-high 11 assists.

Why the UCLA Bruins will win

• UCLA has won seven of its last eight night games against non-AP ranked opponents at a neutral site.
• New Mexico has lost three of its last four night games against AP-ranked opponents at a neutral site.
• UCLA has won the first half in each of its last seven games against non-AP ranked opponents at a neutral site.

Why the New Mexico Lobos will win

• New Mexico has won each of its last 10 night games against non-conference opponents.
• UCLA has lost each of its last three evening games at neutral sites.
• New Mexico has won the first half in each of its last 10 night games against non-conference opponents.

New Mexico Lobos vs. UCLA Bruins Prediction

In this New Mexico Lobos vs. UCLA Bruins prediction, UCLA is the home favorite at -6.5 points. UCLA is projected to be ranked 17th among the elite in the country this season, while New Mexico is projected to be ranked 70th. New Mexico is off to a strong start and two of its players have had incredible performances. The difference between these two teams may not be as big as this line suggests. I expect a closer game, so I’m taking the New Mexico Lobos to cover the spread on the road.