2 Best College Basketball Bets and Player Props for UConn vs. UCLA

The women's college basketball tournament's semifinals are here as four teams will compete for a chance at the Final on Sunday.

Semifinal action finishes up Friday at 9pm ET when UConn squares off with UCLA.

According to the UConn-UCLA odds on FanDuel, the Huskies are favored by 8.5 points and the over/under set at 135.5.

Let's dive into FanDuel Sportsbook's college basketball betting odds and pick out a few best bets for UConn vs. UCLA.

Betting Picks for UConn vs. UCLA

Paige Bueckers 30+ Points (+172)

To say that UConn guard Paige Bueckers is on a tear right now would be an understatement. The senior has scored 31, 40, and 34 points across her last three games -- the last two of which came against two teams in the top 10 of Bart Torvik's adjusted defensive efficiency.

She's just the seventh player ever to score 30 points three times in the same tournament. Only two have done so more than three times, but I like Paige Bueckers to join that list on Friday.

Bueckers' recent scoring surge has come thanks to an uptick in usage. She cleared 20 shot attempts in the first two tourney games before taking 18 alongside a season-high 11 free throws in their most recent win.

Paige posted strong scoring marks throughout the season, but UConn hasn't needed her to reach in a majority of their games. They've relied on her in the big moments, however, as she's averaged 26 points and 20 shot attempts against top-10 Torvik teams.

UCLA will be another tough test, but the Bruins are "just" 9th in adjusted defense. They're not unfamiliar to high scoring totals from opposing guards, either. JuJu Watkins torched them for 29, 30, and 38 across three meetings, and Michigan's Syla Swords (30) and LSU's Flau'Jae Johnson (28) both flirted with 30 against them, too.

Now, Lauren Betts is an obstacle around the rim. But Bueckers has been efficient from all levels of the floor. She's shooting 59% overall over the last three games, including 62% from three and 82% from the free throw line.

We can't expect that 3-point percentage to hold, and it's a little unfair to ask her to shoot 60% going forward. But UConn's fed Bueckers a 36.4% usage rate over her last three games. I wouldn't expect that to change with a trip to the title game on the line, so getting +172 odds for Paige Bueckers to score 30+ points is intriguing.

Gabriela Jaquez Under 9.5 Points (-108)

UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez was a key part of their Round of 8 win over LSU. She scored 18 points in the win, nailing 4 threes and all four free throws in a season-high 38 minutes.

But that came following 5 and 6-point showings the previous two rounds, and single-digit scoring performances have been more common for Jaquez this season. She's been held under 10 points in 19 of 35 games (54%) in total, and in 7 of 14 (50%) against top-25 defenses.

But UConn isn't just a top-25 defense; they're the best defense in the country according to Bart Torvik. The Huskies have the top adjusted defense by a significant margin, and they're 8th in effective field goal percentage allowed. They let up just 66.3 points per game against top-25 teams, giving up more than 70 just three times across eight matchups in that split.

That's less than ideal for Jaquez. In the 14 games UCLA has been held under 75 points, the junior has averaged just 8.7 points per game. She's been held to single-digits in 9 of those 14 instances.

In arguably the toughest matchup in all of women's college basketball, Gabriela Jaquez could face an uphill battle cracking double-digit points. As such, we can consider the under on Jaquez's 9.5-point prop at -108 odds on FanDuel.

You can also click here to get our updated printable Women's College Basketball Tournament bracket for the Round of 4.

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Which bets stand out to you for the upcoming games? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's latest women's college basketball betting odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.