This opened 13.5 and I hoped it could dip to 11, but I'm not so sure now. Mick Cronin will have the Bruins pissed off about not being in the top 25. UCLA is 7-2 ATS as a favorite of 10 or more, covering on average by 7.4 points. They are 9-4-1 ATS at home and have covered five of the last six. Well adjusted to Big 10 play now. MIN 3-6 ATS with rest advantage and already have six conference losses by 15+ points. Gophers won at USC, but struggle with top teams. Gophers are -7.1 in Big 10 play and this is a tough ask. Second-lowest scoring team in conference will be hard pressed to keep up against UCLA's defense.

There are worse things to do these days than backing UCLA. The Bruins' spread unbeaten streak is now at six after Friday's win at Indiana, which moved the Bruins to 8-1 SU their last nine, the only setback was when a late fightback fell just short at Illinois. Mick Cronin's backcourt has stabilized, and valuable minutes off the bench by 7-3 Aday Mara and wing Trent Perry have provided a boost. As for the Gophers, kudos for the weekend upset at USC, led by another big effort from Charlotte transfer GF Lu'Cye Patterson (49 points across last two), but Minnesota has absorbed some heavy defeats, and top scorer 6-11 Dawson Garcia (19.2 ppg) will have to deal with the bigs in Cronin's rotations. Play UCLA.