The Pac-12 Conference title race is really starting to heat up, and there is a big game on Thursday night that will impact the standings. The Arizona Wildcats are set to visit the Utah Utes and both teams appear to be locks for the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona is bringing plenty of momentum into this game as they have rattled off three wins in a row to get to 17-5 on the year. The Wildcats are currently sitting in first place in the league, but they only have a one game lead.
The Utah Utes are two games out of first place in the Pac-12 Conference, but there is still time to catch up. Utah just snapped a two game losing streak with a win, and they are now sitting at 15-7 on the season.
Arizona is coming into this game as a 5.5-point betting favorite on the road over the Utah Utes.
Wildcats Wearing Teams Down
The Arizona roster is one of the best in the country, but things weren’t always clicking in the early part of the season. Things have been corrected now and this team is scoring 89 points per game on the offensive end of the floor.
Transfer guard Caleb Love is leading the way with 18.9 points per game, and he has shown the ability to take over a game at any given time. Arizona is also a team with plenty of size, and they should be able to control the paint in this matchup.
The Wildcats are giving up 72 points per game this season, and that is going to be something to keep an eye on in this matchup. Arizona wants to win by scoring points, but they can’t just let Utah get easy buckets.
Utes Must Get Stops
The Utah Utes are averaging 78 points per game this season, but they aren’t going to win this game on the offensive end of the floor. Utah will be trying to establish a slower pace in this game, and it will start on the defensive end of the floor.
That hasn’t always been an easy thing for the Utes to get done this season as they are allowing 71.2 points per game on the year. Utah will need to get back in transition if they want any chance of pulling off the upset.
Guard Branden Carlson is leading the team with 16.1 points per game for Utah, and he will need to have a monster game if his team is going to win this one.
Arizona Rolls to Big Win
It has taken longer than expected, but Arizona appears to finally be rounding into top form ahead of this game. The Wildcats have started to blow some teams out of late, and that offense is going to set the tone in this matchup.
Utah comes into this game with some confidence, but that defense just hasn’t been good enough so far this season. The Utes are going to need to find a way to slow this thing down, but it just isn’t going to happen.
Arizona will take complete control of this game in the second half as they find a way to win big and cover the spread.
