Over two weeks since their last game in Tucson, the Arizona Basketball team (13-2, 2-0) returns home to McKale Center to take on Pac-12 foe, the Utah Utes.
The Pac-12 schedule started off with a bang for the Wildcats, as the Arizona Basketball team completed their Bay Area sweep last weekend. Arizona returns home to continue their conference slate against conference rival Utah.
Forward Dusan Ristic had a big weekend in the Bay Area continuing on the strong stretch of games he’s recently played. The freshmen trio of Lauri Markkanen, Rawle Alkins and Kobi Simmons continue to shine, and Arizona improved their shooting performance against the Cardinal, pacing themselves to a 91-52 route over Stanford.
The Utah game should be a pretty good one considering the rivalry that has been brewing between these two teams the past few years. At 10-3 (1-0) and fresh off their 16-point win over Colorado this past Sunday, the Utes are a dangerous team coming into this game.
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In his sixth season with the Utes, head coach Larry Krystkowiak has Utah steadily improving. After another successful campaign in 2015-16, the pressure is on in a deep and talented Pac-12.
Utah has a myriad of talented scorers, and for an Arizona scoring defense that currently ranks 12th in the country, the Wildcats will have a tough challenge on their hands. The Cats will likely play without sophomore Allonzo Trier once more, but his exuberance on the bench contributes a ton to his team.
The Utes will rely heavily on their forwards David Collette and Kyle Kuzma, who lead the team in scoring. Additionally, sophomore guard Sedrick Barefield and senior guard Lorenzo Bonam are a talented duo in the backcourt, and should provide quite the challenge for Arizona.
As it stands, Arizona opens up as an 11.5-point favorite in this one which may be a bit surprising. I imagine this one being a bit closer, as Utah has played some pretty good competition this year, and have lost some pretty close games to some talented teams.
Keys to an Arizona win:
Rebounding- The Utes rank 21st overall in the country in rebounding, averaging nearly 41 rebounds per game. Wildcats may be a bit at a disadvantage here, as Utah is considered the better rebounding team.
Arizona will definitely need the effort on the boards, and need to crash the glass hard. The Wildcats aren’t a bad rebounding team by any means, but the Utes are averaging nearly three more per game.
Minimize those chances, and Arizona greatly improves their chances of winning.
Defense- Utah shoots quite well as a team, averaging nearly 51 percent from the field per game. That number ranks them 9th in the country.
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Arizona will need to be active defensively, really challenging the Utes’ scoring attempts. They’ve been good thus far, and head coach Sean Miller certainly was complimentary of the defensive effort so far, but Arizona needs to bring it once again to win this one!
Win the Turnover Battle- The Wildcats have done a fair job in protecting the basketball so far this year, but there is room for improvement. Collectively, Arizona ranks 110th at 12.7 turnovers per game.
Adversely, Utah averages nearly 15 per game. For the Wildcats to be successful in this one, they need to continue to protect the basketball, and force as many turnovers as possible. Arizona’s offense really does well in transition, and if they are able to win the turnover battle, they make things easier for themselves.
Game Information:
Date: Thursday, January 5th
Time: 8:00 pm MST, 7:00 pm PST
Location: Tucson, AZ- McKale Center (14,655)
Line: Arizona -11.5
Television: FS1
Radio: Arizona IMG Sports Network, TuneIn Radio, 1290 AM & 107.5 FM
Team Records:
- Arizona Wildcats (13-2, 2-0): lost to No. 13 Butler and No. 7 Gonzaga on neutral courts, possess a seven-game winning streak
- Utah Utes (10-3, 1-0): lost to No.18 Butler and No. 13 Xavier
- Arizona and Utah are tied at 29-29 in the all-time series; Utah beat the Wildcats in Salt Lake City, UT last year, snapping their 12-game losing streak to Arizona.
Prediction: Arizona 74 Utah 68- This game should definitely be a good one! If Arizona brings the defensive intensity, we see them really being able to frustrate the Utes a bit here. Utah is a talented team, and we imagine this one being a close one until the end.
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At Zona Zealots, we’re excited to see this match-up, and hope for a good game. Arizona definitely needs to be ready and focused to hopefully win! Bear Down, Arizona!