Tommy Lloyd and the Arizona Wildcats were humbled in a season-opening loss to Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins on Monday evening, a disappointing start to the season after last year's run to the Final Four.
Ivan Kharchenkov was outstanding, racking up a career-high 38 points with 10 rebounds, but the rest of the offense was nearly non-existent, and UCLA took full advantage with a hyper-efficient offensive attack and their trademark toughness and physicality down low.
Now the Wildcats return to Tucson to take on the Cal Poly Mustangs on Thursday in the first home game of the year - and a chance for Lloyd and the team to regroup and build some momentum before multiple high-profile non-conference games later this month.
Dec 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA;Cal Poly Mustangs forward Ali Assran (7) drives past UCLA Bruins guard Eric Dailey Jr. (3) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cal Poly is 1-0 on the year after defeating D2 opponent Cal-State San Marcos on Monday, 78-62, behind 18 points from Hamad Mousa and a 15 point, 11 rebound double-double from Cayden Ward.
The Mustangs grabbed a ridiculous 59 rebounds, including 17 on the offensive glass, although the rest of the performance was largely uninspiring. Cal Poly shot just 44% from the field and 34% (12-35) from three, and had a horrific 25 turnovers - 15 of which were steals by the Cougars.
Coach Mike DeGeorge's team was No. 158 in the KenPom preseason rankings, and is projected to finish sixth in the Big West preseason poll.
Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Holt (3). | Photo courtesy of Arizona Wildcats Athletics
Outside of Kharchenkov, Arizona had nothing going for them offensively against UCLA. The Bruins chose to pack the paint on Mo Krivas - who had just eight points on 2-4 shooting - and dared the Wildcats to beat them from the perimeter, a strategy that paid off with Arizona shooting a paltry 7-30 (23%) from three.
Kharchenkov found ways to get downhill and to the free throw line, and Derek Dixon added 18 points on an inefficient 5-17 shooting, but with Krivas severely limited, the team needed more from freshman Caleb Holt (seven points, 2-7) and the bench, who combined to score four points on 1-9 shooting.
Fortunately, those issues can, and should, be rectified on Thursday against the Mustangs. Expect a heavy dose of Krivas early and often for Arizona, as well as plenty of transition opportunities against a Cal Poly team that pushes the tempo but struggles with ball security.
Below is a look at the point spread, betting odds, and TV info for Arizona's home opener against the Mustangs of Cal Poly:
Spread:Arizona -28.5 (at FanDuel Sportsbook )
Moneyline:N/A
Over/under:168.5 points
Records against the spread:Arizona 0-1, Cal Poly 0-0
Game time:8:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time | Thursday, Nov. 5
Location:McKale Center | Tucson, Arizona
TV channel:TruTV (or HBO MAX)
Odds are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/arizona as Arizona vs. Cal Poly betting odds: Point spread, moneyline and over/under .
