UCLA covered against Marquette and Gonzaga in narrow losses to those schools earlier this season. Few, though, are rushing to the window to bet the Bruins these days. UCLA is 1-8 in its last nine games and off an embarrassing, 90-44, road loss to Utah this past Thursday.

But now the Bruins are returning home and I'm buying low on them as home underdogs to mediocre Washington, which ranks 277th defensively.

Clearly this is a circle-the-wagons game for UCLA. The Bruins have owned the Huskies winning the past nine times.

UCLA is way overdue. The Bruins are going to have tremendous motivation. This is the spot to back them.