Two powerhouse college basketball programs meet in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as the No. 7 UCLA Bruins (24-11) face the No. 2 UConn Huskies (30-5) at 8:45 p.m. ET, televised by TNT.
This is one of two 2-7 matchups with a point spread under five points on PrizePicks Team Picks for Sunday, March 22’s schedule, as UConn is favored by 4.5 points. A key injury for UCLA could sway this matchup.
Let’s dive into our UCLA vs. UConn prediction, capped by CBB picks for PrizePicks player projections.
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UCLA vs. UConn Prediction, Spread, Over/Under
UCLA has elevated its play at the perfect time, boasting 5-1 outright and against the spread (ATS) records over its last six games. However, the Bruins did not cover a 5.5-point spread in their 75-71 win vs. No. 10 UCF, as UCLA F Tyler Bilodeau was out from a knee injury.
The 6’9” senior forward leads the Bruins with 17.6 points per game (PPG), and he’s questionable for Sunday’s bout with UConn.
The Huskies are also dealing with injury concerns, with starting G Silas Demary Jr. (ankle) and rotational F Jaylin Stewart (knee) questionable for today. Demary (10.9 PPG) and Stewart (4.5 PPG) combine for 15.4 PPG.
Both players were out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and Connecticut failed to cover as 20.5-point favorites in its 82-71 win vs. No. 15 Furman. The Huskies are 7-3 outright and 4-6 ATS over their last 10 games.
UCLA vs. UConn Spread, Over/Under
UConn is a 4.5-point favorite, paired with a 1.49x payout if they win, per PrizePicks Team Picks. UCLA is in a clear underdog role with a 2.63x payout to win on Sunday night.
The over/under is only 136.5 points on PrizePicks Team Picks, where you can earn money with your picks in 35 states.
- Spread: UConn Huskies -4.5
- Over/Under: 136.5
- Gamer Winner Payout: UCLA 2.63x | UConn 1.49x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
UCLA vs. UConn Prediction on Over/Under for NCAA Tournament – 3/22/26
Tonight’s battle could be like watching paint dry, as UCLA (86th percentile) and UConn (87th percentile) are in the 85th percentile for Bart Torvik’s slowest adjusted tempos.
This translates to the Bruins allowing only 56.4 shots per game (75th percentile) and the Huskies giving up 54.0 field goal attempts per contest (93rd percentile). UCLA yields 71.0 PPG (80th percentile), while UConn allows a measly 65.3 PPG (98th percentile). Furthermore, each defense could take away the opposing offense’s strength.
For example, the Huskies shoot 57.4% on 2-pointers (93rd percentile), but the Bruins surrender a 32.0% close-2 shot distribution (93rd percentile). UCLA shoots a scorching 37.9% from 3-point land (95th percentile), and UConn yields only 6.0 made treys per game (96th percentile).
The under is 2-1 for UConn’s last three games and 3-1 for UCLA’s previous four matchups.
UCLA vs. UConn Picks for PrizePicks Today: 3/22/26
Here are top UCLA vs. UConn picks to target for Sunday, March 22, on PrizePicks. Today’s college basketball picks are headlined by UCLA G Eric Dailey Jr. and UConn C Tarris Reed Jr.
UCLA G Eric Dailey Jr. vs. UConn Projection: 11.5 Points
- Bilodeau played for only 10 minutes in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals and has missed the last two games.
- In this three-game split, Dailey posted 15.0 PPG, surpassing his 11.6 PPG season-long average.
- The junior guard shoots only 31.3% from deep, behind his 56.9% mark on 2-pointers (second on the team).
- The Huskies are in the 43rd percentile of close-2 shot distribution allowed, providing Dailey with the ability to attack the rim.
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UConn C Tarris Reed Jr. vs. UCLA Projection: 27.5 Pts+Rebs
- Reed comes off an absurd first-round performance, recording 31 points and 27 rebounds.
- The 6’11” big man joined Bill Walton as the only player in the past 60 years to record 30 points and 20 rebounds while shooting 80.0% in an NCAA Tournament game, per ESPN Research.
- In his last nine games, Reed has posted 27.6 combined points and rebounds per game.
- He’s reached double-digit boards in six of his last nine appearances, and Bilodeau could be a key absence as he’s second on UCLA with 5.6 rebounds per game.
- Backed by 12.5 shots per game in his last four outings, Reed’s potential scoring volume could pair well with his rebounding success.
Make UCLA vs. UConn Picks on PrizePicks
A handful of injuries for UCLA vs. UConn could mean increased usage for notable players. Dailey and Reed are names to watch in a potential low-scoring bout for tonight’s second-round battle.
You can make your UCLA vs. UConn picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks to earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued college basketball predictions, picks, and news through the NCAA Tournament.
