UCLA vs. Arizona Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest CBB Odds for Monday, November 2nd Opener

UCLA vs. Arizona Prediction: Can UCLA Stun Top-5 Wildcats in Monday Night's Opener?

No. 22 UCLA faces No. 5 Arizona on Monday, November 2, in the second game of the TNT Sports Hall of Fame Series doubleheader at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, with the Wildcats favored by 4.5 points and the total set at 149.5. The matchup reunites two former Pac-12 rivals after Arizona won last season's meeting in a competitive, lower-scoring contest.

Arizona enters the season following a Final Four appearance but must replace several important perimeter contributors, while UCLA returns experienced players under defensive-minded coach Mick Cronin. Both programs have added significant young talent, creating an interesting contrast between Arizona's athleticism and UCLA's preference for disciplined half-court execution.

UCLA vs. Arizona Recent Results

UCLA Bruins (0-0)

UCLA finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-12 overall record and a 13-7 mark in Big Ten play. The Bruins defeated UCF 75-71 in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64 before falling 73-57 to UConn in the second round. Cronin's team won 14 of its final 21 games, including late-season victories over ranked Nebraska and Michigan State.

The Bruins have looked particularly strong defensively in preseason competition, defeating California Baptist 100-53 and San Diego 82-50. UCLA limited San Diego to 24.2% shooting and just four made three-pointers on 25 attempts. Dailey averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 rebounds across the two exhibitions, while Perry contributed 13.0 points and 5.5 assists per game.

Arizona Wildcats (0-0)

Arizona completed a historic 2025-26 campaign with a 36-3 record, winning both the Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships before reaching the Final Four. The Wildcats' season ended with a 91-73 loss to Michigan in the national semifinals, although they finished with a school-record 36 victories and averaged 86.2 points per game.

The Wildcats went undefeated in their three preseason exhibitions, defeating San Francisco 93-69, San Diego State 82-67 and Eastern Washington 85-54. Freshman Caleb Holt averaged 17.7 points across those contests and scored 21 against Eastern Washington. Arizona held the Eagles to 34.5% shooting and forced 19 turnovers, demonstrating its defensive potential despite significant personnel changes.

UCLA vs. Arizona Head to Head

• November 14, 2025: Arizona 69, UCLA 65
• December 14, 2024: UCLA 57, Arizona 54
• March 7, 2024: Arizona 88, UCLA 65
• January 20, 2024: Arizona 77, UCLA 71
• March 11, 2023: Arizona 61, UCLA 59

Arizona has won four of the last five meetings against UCLA, although four of those contests finished with fewer than 150 combined points. The Wildcats won last season's neutral-site matchup 69-65, while UCLA claimed a 57-54 victory in Phoenix the previous December. Both recent neutral-site meetings featured deliberate offensive possessions and strong defensive execution, providing relevant context for another early-season matchup.

UCLA vs. Arizona Date, Time, Where to Watch

• Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
• Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
• Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
• How to Watch: TNT, truTV, HBO Max

UCLA vs. Arizona Odds

• Spread: UCLA +4.5 (-108), Arizona -4.5 (-112)
• Total Points: Over 149.5 (-110), Under 149.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: UCLA +164, Arizona -198

Click here for the latest UCLA vs. Arizona Odds

UCLA vs. Arizona Line Movement and Betting Splits

Arizona opened as a 4.5-point favorite, with the spread fluctuating between 4.5 and 5.5 points before returning to its original number. The total has experienced more meaningful movement for this matchup, opening at 150.5 before dropping to 149.5 in the supplied market. That decline suggests some early resistance to a higher-scoring projection despite Arizona's offensive reputation.

One reported betting distribution showed 93% of total-points tickets backing the over while 75% of the money was concentrated on the under. That represents a considerably larger average wager size on the under, although the percentages reflect a particular market snapshot rather than universal sportsbook activity. Arizona also attracted substantial spread support, with reported ticket and handle percentages exceeding 80% at several points during the week.

The contrasting total-points distribution and downward movement provide some support for the under, although neither guarantees a slower game. UCLA's defensive structure and Arizona's changes at guard offer basketball-based reasons to question whether the matchup will generate enough efficient possessions to reach 150 points. The decline from the opening number slightly reduces the available value, but the current 149.5 total remains achievable for a disciplined defensive matchup.

UCLA Bruins Injury Report and Team News

• Eric Freeny (G): Away From Team, Undisclosed Medical Issue
• Filip Jovic (F): Available, Cleared Following Concussion

Freeny has been away from UCLA's program while addressing an undisclosed medical issue, leaving his availability uncertain for the beginning of the season. The sophomore averaged 2.0 points in limited minutes last year, and his absence reduces some of the Bruins' potential backcourt depth. Jovic has recovered from an earlier concussion and appeared in both exhibition contests, including a 16-point performance against San Diego.

UCLA returns several experienced contributors, including Perry, Dailey and Xavier Booker. Perry averaged 12.6 points last season, while Dailey contributed 11.6 points and Booker added 7.3 points. Their familiarity with Cronin's defensive system should help stabilize a rotation incorporating several newcomers.

Texas Tech transfer Jaylen Petty adds perimeter scoring after averaging 9.9 points last season, while freshman Nikola Kusturica brings considerable size and versatility to the wing. The 6-foot-9 Serbian produced 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists against California Baptist, demonstrating his potential to contribute without dominating possessions.

Arizona Wildcats Injury Report and Team News

• Endurance Aiyamenkhue (C): Limited, Lower-Body Injury
• RJ Godfrey (F): Ineligible, NCAA Eligibility Issue

Aiyamenkhue has been managing a lower-body injury that prevented him from appearing in Arizona's three home exhibitions. The freshman center has increased his practice participation but had not fully returned to unrestricted activity in the latest available updates. His uncertain availability could reduce Arizona's reserve frontcourt options against UCLA's experienced interior players.

Godfrey remains ineligible following an unsuccessful attempt to secure immediate NCAA clearance through the courts. The Clemson transfer averaged 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds last season and was expected to provide Arizona with additional physicality and scoring. His absence places greater importance on the development of the Wildcats' available forwards and reserve big men.

Arizona returns Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov, who each averaged 10.4 points last season while starting all 39 games. Krivas recorded 73 blocks and provides elite rim protection, while Kharchenkov contributes versatile defense. The Wildcats have added North Carolina transfer Derek Dixon and highly regarded freshman Holt to a backcourt replacing Jaden Bradley and Brayden Burries, creating considerable potential but also early-season uncertainty.

UCLA vs. Arizona Prediction

UCLA and Arizona enter the season with different offensive identities, making tempo one of the central factors in this matchup. Arizona generally prefers to create scoring opportunities through transition, interior pressure and offensive rebounding, while Cronin emphasizes defensive organization and controlled half-court possessions. The Bruins' ability to slow the game and limit live-ball turnovers will be particularly important for the total.

Arizona averaged 86.2 points last season, but much of that production came from a different collection of players. The departures of Bradley, Burries and Koa Peat remove important scoring and playmaking contributions from the Wildcats' Final Four team. Holt has demonstrated considerable offensive talent in the preseason, but his regular-season debut against UCLA's experienced defensive structure presents a more demanding challenge.

Perry will have a significant responsibility in controlling UCLA's offensive rhythm. The junior recorded 11 assists against just one turnover across two exhibitions, illustrating his potential to manage possessions without giving Arizona easy transition opportunities. His ability to execute against perimeter pressure could help the Bruins establish longer offensive sets and reduce the overall number of possessions.

The interior matchup between Booker and Krivas also deserves attention. Krivas provides Arizona with a major defensive presence around the basket, forcing opposing teams to account for his shot-blocking ability before attacking the paint. Booker offers perimeter shooting and mobility, but UCLA may need to rely on deliberate ball movement rather than consistently challenging Krivas at the rim.

Arizona's rebounding advantage could create additional scoring opportunities, particularly if the Wildcats generate second-chance possessions. However, UCLA has experienced forwards capable of defending physically and protecting the glass. Dailey's versatility should help Cronin adjust defensive assignments without sacrificing too much offensive flexibility.

Three-point shooting presents another source of uncertainty. UCLA shot exceptionally well during stretches of its preseason exhibitions, particularly with Dailey making seven of 12 three-point attempts. However, those results came against less imposing competition, and Arizona's athletic perimeter defenders should make clean outside looks more difficult to generate consistently.

The Wildcats may also encounter some early offensive inconsistency while establishing their new guard rotation. Dixon brings collegiate experience, and Holt possesses substantial scoring ability, but replacing Bradley's leadership and Burries' shot creation requires adjustments. UCLA's combination of defensive pressure, physicality and positional discipline should test that developing chemistry.

Recent meetings provide additional context for a competitive defensive contest. Last season's matchup produced 134 combined points, while UCLA's 57-54 victory in December 2024 generated only 111. Those results involved different personnel, but the recurring difficulty of generating efficient offense against these defensive systems is relevant when evaluating another neutral-site meeting.

Arizona's transition ability and offensive rebounding present the greatest threats to the under, especially if UCLA struggles with turnovers or allows repeated second-chance opportunities. Late-game fouling could also push the total higher in a close contest. Nevertheless, UCLA's defensive approach and Arizona's developing backcourt create a reasonable path to fewer efficient scoring possessions than the market requires. A game controlled primarily through half-court execution could finish below 149.5 points even if both teams produce stretches of strong offense.

UCLA vs. Arizona Best Bet

• Best Bet: Under 149.5 (-110) Check out these best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook

UCLA's defensive identity provides the foundation for the under, particularly against an Arizona lineup replacing several important offensive contributors. The Bruins have already demonstrated strong defensive organization during the preseason, while Perry's improved ball security gives them a capable guard to manage tempo and limit transition opportunities. Krivas also provides Arizona with the interior protection needed to make scoring around the basket more difficult.

The last two neutral-site meetings between these programs finished with 134 and 111 combined points, illustrating how competitive and physical this rivalry can become. Arizona's offensive talent remains dangerous, but its developing backcourt and UCLA's deliberate offensive approach support a more controlled game. Limiting fast-break opportunities and forcing both teams into half-court possessions creates the clearest path for the under to cash at 149.5.

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