Bruins aren’t always a sure bet

UCLA Coach Ben Howland has done an outstanding job of returning the school’s basketball program to an elite national level, but when it comes to beating the spread, the Bruins have been a shaky bet.

UCLA has reached the Final Four the last two seasons and is 16-1 this season heading into today’s rivalry game against USC at Pauley Pavilion, but the Bruins are only 9-5-2 against the spread.

Winning games big to cover the point spread has just not been UCLA’s style under Howland, whose teams are known for toughness and aggressive man-to-man defense.

That’s why it is not unusual to see the Bruins pull off an impressive win but lose against the spread.

Just look at two recent games: UCLA was favored by 15 points over Washington and won by 14, and against UC Davis the Bruins were favored by 34.5 points and won by 28.

And this is not only a recent trend. It was the same way last season when UCLA finished 30-6 overall and 18-16 against the spread, and in 2005-06, when the Bruins went 32-7 but 22-13 against the spread.

UCLA, which has been favored over USC the last five times they have played, will again be a favorite for today’s game. But although the Bruins own a two-game winning streak in the rivalry, they will be looking to end a three-game losing streak against the spread vs. USC.

The last time UCLA won against the spread in the rivalry was a 66-45 rout of the Trojans on Jan. 18, 2006, at Pauley Pavilion.

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Boxing

Eight-time former world champion Roy Jones Jr. will enter the ring tonight for his matchup against five-time former world champion Felix Trinidad as a heavy favorite at Madison Square Garden.

Jones, 51-4 with 38 knockouts, is listed as a 360-moneyline favorite at betED.com, a 335-moneyline favorite at Bodoglife.com and Sportsbetting.com, and 325-moneyline favorite at Covers.com.

Trinidad, 42-2 with 35 knockouts, is a +290 underdog at betED.com, a +265 underdog at Bodoglife.com and Sportsbetting.com, and +250 underdog at Covers.com.

Although Jones, 39, is not the same fighter since he lost twice to Antonio Tarver and once to Glen Johnson, oddsmakers like his chances against Trinidad, who has not fought since losing a middleweight title fight to Winky Wright in May 2005.

Here are a few other bets for tonight’s 170-pound fight between Jones and Trinidad available at Bodoglife.com: The over/under is 10 1/2 rounds with the over at (-110) and under (-130); Jones win by KO, TKO or disqualification (5-6), Trinidad win by KO, TKO, or DQ (11-2).

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lonnie.white@latimes.com