The UCLA Bruins take on the Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor, MI. Tip-off is set for 12:45 p.m. ET on CBS.
Michigan is favored by 16.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -2200. The total is set at 154.5 points.
Here’s my UCLA vs. Michigan predictions and college basketball picks for February 14, 2026.
UCLA vs. Michigan Odds, Spread, Pick
| UCLA Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+16.5 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | +1100 |
| Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-16.5 -110 | 154.5 -110o / -110u | -2200 |
My Pick: UCLA +15.5
My UCLA vs Michigan best bet is on the Bruins to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
UCLA vs Michigan NCAAB Betting Preview
UCLA Basketball
UCLA is one of the more disappointing teams in the country. The Bruins are battling in the 10/11 seed range as of now — and they’ll need to beat some locked-in tournament teams to get to the Big Dance.
Much to Mick Cronin’s dismay, this UCLA team is one of his worst defensive teams in the last 15 years, ranking 47th in efficiency on that end of the floor, per KenPom.
The main issue is something Michigan can attack: rim defense. The Bruins are 220th in 2-point field goal defense (52%). Xavier Booker, who's found himself in Cronin’s doghouse throughout the season, is the lone player with more than one block per game.
The best thing UCLA can throw at Michigan is playing a slower tempo. The Bruins love to force the opposition into deep clocks, as they force teams to use 18.6 seconds per possession (354th).
On the offensive end, the Bruins have some real weapons. Tyler Bilodeau is one of the more versatile frontcourt options in the Big Ten. He averages 18.3 points per game while shooting 52% from the field and 45% from deep.
I expect a steady diet of pick-and-pops with Bilodeau and the speedy Donovan Dent. There might be a little buyer's remorse with Dent.
The Bruins excel in two offensive areas: shooting and ball control. They have a bunch of marksmen and hit 38% from deep. Dent isn’t a shooter and UCLA is a lower-volume shooting team because of it. However, Bilodeau and Trent Perry are marksmen from downtown.
The other half of that is UCLA gives the ball away just 14% of the time. That should help make this a half-court game, which the Bruins need.
Michigan Basketball
Michigan is the toughest team to handicap in my view. We know the Wolverines can flip a switch like very few can and win by 30, making 15-17 point spreads look foolish in the process.
However, when the Wolverines don’t shoot it well from deep, they have a tough time covering those gigantic spreads.
The DNA of this dynamite Wolverines squad is on the defensive end, where they rank first nationally, per KenPom. They hold opponents 42.8% shooting on 2s (2nd) and 29% from deep (10th).
Scoring on the length of this Wolverines roster is very challenging — particularly since Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. can defend positions 1-5.
Since January 1, Michigan is just 20th in offensive efficiency, per Bart Torvik. We’re looking at a 12-game sample in which the Wolverines are shooting just 32% from deep.
Will it have days where it shoots well? Sure, every team does. But Michigan looks to be a fairly mediocre squad in that particular area.
Lendeborg is shooting just 28% from deep, Johnson has taken just 14 all season and Mara is 2-of-6 from downtown. Those three can be big enough to dominate either way, but the surrounding guards — Elliot Cadeau, Nimari Burnett and Trey McKenney — have to hit enough shots for this offense to reach its upside.
UCLA vs. Michigan Betting Analysis
I’m taking the points with UCLA.
The best way to limit Michigan is to slow things down and limit it in transition.
I expect that to happen, as UCLA won’t turn the ball over and it'll aim to make this a half-court game.
That should keep the Bruins close enough to cover.
My Pick: UCLA +15.5
