NCAA basketball's “Rivalry Week ” continues on Thursday, and the marquee match-up comes out of the Pac-10 when UCLA visits slumping Washington State. Elsewhere, Pittsburgh tries to avoid an upset at the hands of West Virginia. BetOnline.com currently has the Bruins as the 2.5pt favorite as they travel to Washington State. Bet on College Basketball at BetOnline.com.
The Bruins have looked like one of the national powerhouses recently, as they look to extend their four-game winning streak against a Washington State team that has fallen on hard times after a promising start to the season. The Bruins are coming off an 82-60 rout on the road at Arizona, and once again, freshman superstar Kevin Love was at the midst of the destruction. Love had his 13th double-double of the season with 26 points and 11 boards, and he is sure to snatch a place on the All-American team if he continues this form. 
The Bruins shot an amazing 57.1% from the field, while outrebounding Arizona 33-18. The Cougars have lost three of their last four games, including a 67-65 overtime loss at home to Stanford last Saturday. The Cougars committed only four turnovers while forcing 17 out of Stanford, but they shot only 34.5% from the floor. The Bruins have won seven in a row over the Cougars, and come into this game as 1.5-point road favorites. The Bruins should cover this small spread, as the Cougars simply do not have an answer for the precocious Love.
No.5 UCLA at No.17 Washington State – 10:30 PM ET
West Virginia at No.21 Pittsburgh – 7:00 PM ET
These Big East rivals will square off once again, and the Mountaineers will look to avenge their football team, who lost out on a trip to the national championship games because of a huge upset to the Panthers. This time, the Mountaineers are the underdogs, but they bounced back from a terrible performance against Cincinnati with a 77-65 win at Providence. Darris Nichols scored 23 points for West Virginia, who shot 50.7% from the floor after their worst shooting night in school history against the Bearcats. The Panthers have alternated wins and losses over their last five games, coming off a 60-53 loss at Connecticut where they shot 32.2% from the field, including a miserable 2-for-16 from three-point land. Pittsburgh has won three in a row against West Virginia, and enter this game as 3-point home favorites. But the Mountaineers are buoyed after their solid game at Providence, so look for them to pull off the upset against the inconsistent Panthers.
For more exciting props and odds on college basketball heading into “March Madness ”, visit BetOnline.com for the most enjoyable experience in the sports betting industry.
