The UCLA Bruins will look to notch their fourth win in conference play this Thursday when they visit the reeling Utah Utes in Salt Lake City. Will the Bruins take care of business there? Or will the Utes ambush UCLA at home? Check out our preview below of this UCLA-Utah Pac-12 college basketball matchup.
After suffering their first loss in Pac-12 play during an 84-81 setback at the hands of the Oregon Ducks on Jan. 13, the Bruins got back on track by demolishing the Oregon State Beavers at home last Saturday, 81-65. Johnny Juzang lit up the scoreboard with a 24-point performance to go with six rebounds and three assists, while Jules Bernard added 16 points. The Bruins are now 7-1 straight up in home games, so far this season. Mick Cronin’s team is among the best not just in the Pac-12, but in the nation, as well. The Bruins have been regularly scoring over 80 points this season. They are 18th overall with 115.6 points per 100 possessions. And while they are just 104th nationally with 66.8 points allowed per game, they are 20th with just 92.6 points allowed per 100 possessions.
UCLA is 2-1 against the spread in its last three road games.
The search for their first win in 2022 continues for the Utes, who are coming off a 64-62 road loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils Monday. Utah struggled with its shooting in that game, as the Utes went just 20/57 from the field and 5/20 from behind the arc. The Utes, who are putting up 71.2 points per game, missed the services of their best player against Arizona State, with big man Branden Carlson out due to an appendicitis issue last week. It’s uncertain as of this writing when Carlson will be back, but it’s fair to assume he won’t be back in time for the showdown with UCLA. That would leave expanded roles for the likes of Both Gach and David Jenkins, who are two of the team’s top three scorers this season.
Utah, which is the 23rd-tallest team in the nation, has seen the total hit the under in all of its last four games.
