Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins Preview
This week in the NCAA Men’s Basketball, the high-flying UCLA welcomes Utah to the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The game takes place at 4:00 pm PST this Sunday, February 18. Currently, UCLA is third in the Pac-12 Conference, five places higher than Utah. One side enters this week’s competition with a winning streak, and the other has lost three games on the bounce.
UCLA has been mighty impressive over the past ten games. They have picked up six wins in a row, which is currently the best win streak in the conference. They have only lost two of their last ten games, and one of those defeats was against the Utes. Since Utah won back in January, they have struggled to get results. The Utes have lost three in a row and only picked up four victories across ten matches. With a lot to play for in this game, who will boss the court on Sunday?
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins Head-To-Head and Key Stats
These two Pac-12 NCAAM teams have played each other countless times over the years. However, it has not always been an even contest. Looking at the past ten fixtures, UCLA has been victorious on seven occasions. The team from Los Angeles was on a seven-game winning streak against Utah until the match one month ago. While this has been a one-sided fixture over recent years, could that be about to change?
Looking closely at the most recent fixture shows Utah was in the driving seat from minute one. The teams faced off on January 12 in Salt Lake City. The game started slowly, with both sides trading points until around eight minutes into the first half. With the score level at nine apiece, the Utes found another gear and stretched out a lead on the Bruins. It was 33-23 at halftime, and it only got worse for the visitors. Carlson and Keita ran riot against sloppy UCLA defense. The home side continued to defend well and dominate on the attack, finishing the match with a score of 90-44.
It was an impressive performance from Utah as they handed the Bruins their biggest conference loss in the program’s history. Cole Bajema and Keba Keita both hit 14 points in the game, but Branden Carlson looked immense. He scored 12 points, made 14 rebounds, and provided three assists. The top five players in the match were all from Utah, with Dylan Andrews’ nine points the best for UCLA. This match was a humiliation for the Bruins, but it created a necessary reaction. Since then, they have only lost one NCAA match against Arizona. Utah failed to capitalize on this momentum and has only won three matches since then.
UCLA’s last match was against Colorado on Thursday night, a game they won by four points. The first half was fantastic for the Bruins, and they went to the break with a nine-point lead. Colorado worked hard to close the gap, leveling the match 51 apiece with seven minutes to play. The match was level at 54 and 58 before a three-pointer from Lazar Stefanović provided some breathing room. The Buffaloes were within three with a minute to play but could not find that killer blow to win the game. Sebastian Mack from the Bruins was a standout player, providing 19 points, four rebounds, and one assist.
The Utes lost their most recent match by four points against the USC Trojans. There are positives and negatives to take from this game, as there were plenty of promising signs from Utah. The Trojans started sharper, building up a ten-point lead after ten minutes. With some grit and determination, they cut it to five points at halftime. Utah bossed the start of the second half, racking up a two-point lead with only 13 minutes to play. However, a bad couple of minutes meant they were chasing the game again and could not close the gap, even when they were within two points with two minutes to play. It finished 68-64, and Deivon Smith and Carlson were the highlights.
Betting on UCLA to continue their winning streak seems like a good option, but you must give Utah credit. They pulled off a 46-point victory over the Bruins as recently as a month ago. We expect to see a completely different UCLA on the court this Sunday as they have found dominant form and get to play in front of a home crowd. Utah can end the opponents’ six-game winning streak; it just depends on which team turns up on the weekend.
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins Predictions
Looking at the basketball betting markets at Novibet, UCLA is the favorite for winning this weekend. That is no surprise considering they are the most in-form team in the Pac-12 Conference. Utah has struggled in recent matches, and turning it around against a team as dangerous as the Bruins will be one heck of a challenge. Both sides have potential, but only one team can win this Sunday.
We predict that UCLA will win this NCAA match against Utah. The Utes did superbly the last time these two teams met. They disrupted the Bruins’ attack, forcing them into simple mistakes and capitalizing with lethal speed and efficiency. Carlson had a fantastic game. He knew where his teammates would be at all the right times. That has not been the case for recent matches, so a win seems unlikely for this game. We predict UCLA will win by five to ten points at the end of the match.
Before you bet on this college basketball match, let’s talk about the current form. Utah’s biggest concern is that they lost to USC on Thursday night. The Trojans are second from the bottom in the Pac-12 this season. They have an overall record of 10-15, and it was a game many expected the Utes to win. The Bruins can’t stop winning. They beat Colorado by four points, California by one, and Stanford by eight over the past few weeks. There are signs their winning streak could end, but they will want revenge.
While we expect to see a close game, UCLA will have a point to prove. They have historically dominated in this matchup, and the 46-point defeat they suffered a month ago would have hurt. Yes, the team has responded incredibly well to win eight of their next nine matches, however; it was a humiliating defeat. Utah’s campaign has stalled in recent weeks, and they urgently need to find some results. Will their fortunes change this Sunday? We don’t think so.
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins Betting Tips
Betting on basketball games is a lot of fun, but the games come thick and fast. Teams can start and end winning streaks in the blink of an eye, so it pays to be skeptical about what the sportsbook says. This week, UCLA is the clear favorite to win the match, and we agree because Utah is struggling across the board. Even though the Utes humiliated the Bruins a month ago, a lot has changed since then. Plus, the Bruins have the better results historically in this fixture.
Even though we predict UCLA will win this game, there are plenty of betting options to consider for this match. Branden Carlson looks like a fantastic talent, and he is the points-per-game leader for his team at 16.9. Carlson is also the rebounds leader, with an average of seven per game. Gabe Madsen and Deivon Smith are the only other Utes players with points per game averages in the double digits. The last time Utah faced the Bruins, Cole Bajema and Keba Keita were superb. They will need to do the same again if there is any hope for the away side this week.
Sebastian Mack scored a team-leading 19 points as UCLA defeated Colorado, 64-60, in a Pac-12 contest on Thursday night.
The Bruins have won eight of their last nine games.
RECAP: https://t.co/gqo4JV7K8V
QUOTES: https://t.co/uJs8aHjxfj pic.twitter.com/D5zB9tGRU0— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) February 16, 2024
Unsurprisingly, UCLA has the better statistics for point scorers this season. Sebastian Mack is the team leader with 13.5 points per game, and he has a remarkable 1.6 steals per game. Adem Bona, Dylan Andrews, and Lazar Stefanović also have double-digit point contributions. However, there is a steep drop-off from there. If Utah can get a handle on those four players, the Bruins do not have many reliable options to call on. But getting a grip on those ballers has proven too challenging for a lot of teams this season.
If you are going to live bet on this game, the two players to bet on include Carlson for Utah and Mack for UCLA. They are the point leaders for their teams, and they are consistent performers, even in tough matches. Alternative players to back for this fixture include Stefanović for rebounds and Bajema and Keita. While Keita and Bajema have not been reliable this season, they were immense last month in the previous meeting between the sides.
