by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2023
Game Time: 11:00 pm ET, Thursday, January 12, 2023
Venue: Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: PAC-12 Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Utah +12, UCLA -12; Over/Under: 134 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Utah +12, UCLA -12; Over/Under: 134 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Utah +12, UCLA -12; Over/Under: 134 points
Season Record
Utah Utes: 12-5 (5-1) (2nd place, PAC-12)
UCLA Bruins: 14-2 (5-0) (1st place, PAC-12)
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Recent Form
Utah Utes: 3-2 last 5
UCLA Bruins: 5-0 last 5
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins Preview and Analysis
Utah is coming into this game with a 12-5 record overall and they are 3-1 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 5-1 in their conference games this season as well. They are entering this game off of a loss against the Oregon Ducks in their last game. Marco Anthony led the team in points in that game with 15 while Lazar Stefanovic was next on the team with 13 points. Rollie Worster led the team in assists in that game with 7 while Marco Anthony led the team in rebounds with 10. They were 35.7% from the field, 14.3% from 3-point range, and 68% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 73 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 61.5 PPG against them. Utah has an ATS record of 10-7 this season and their O/U record is 6-11.
UCLA is coming into this game with a 14-2 record overall and they are 9-0 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are also 5-0 in their conference schedule this season as well. They are entering this game on an 11 game winning streak with wins coming against the Pepperdine Waves, the Bellarmine Knights, the Stanford Cardinal, the Oregon Ducks, the Denver Pioneers, the Maryland Terrapins, the Kentucky Wildcats, the UC Davis Aggies, the Washington State Cougars, the Washington Huskies, and the USC Trojans in their last game. Jaylen Clark led the team in points in that game with 15 while Jaime Jaquez Jr. and David Singleton each were next on the team with 12 points. Tyger Campbell led the team in assists in that game with 5 while Adem Bona led the team in rebounds with 10. They were 34.5% from the field, 34.6% from 3-point range, and 64.7% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 77.8 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 60.8 PPG against them. UCLA has an ATS record of 9-7 this season and their O/U record is 8-8.
Utah vs UCLA Prediction
The current betting odds have Utah listed as a 12 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. Utah has not been having a bad year as they are 12-5 this season and they have been crushing teams in their conference play with a 5-1 conference record already. They have played in 4 true road games with a 3-1 record in those and have pulled off some upsets against ranked teams this year already. UCLA has been great all season with their 14-2 record overall and they have been great at home with their 9-0 record there. They have also been very good in conference games as they are 5-0 against PAC-12 opponents this season, but they have been struggling in their last few conference games. They have been getting the wins but 2 of their last 3 games against conference opponents were won by 2 points or less and Utah is a very good team that has shown they can upset the ranked teams like UCLA this season. Utah is a live dog and they will be able to keep this game close enough to cover this number. The best way to place a bet here is on Utah to cover the spread in this game.
Utah UCLA Prediction: Our NCAAB Pick for Thursday, January 12, 2023 (11:00 pm ET start time) is UCLA 70 Utah 67.
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NCAAB Betting Trends
Utah Utes: 4-12 ATS after a loss by 10 points or more. 2-8 ATS after playing 2 consecutive games as a home favorite. 8-1 UNDER after playing a home game.
UCLA Bruins: 33-11 ATS in a home game where the total is 130 to 134.5. 12-3 ATS after a win by 6 points or less. 11-6 UNDER in a home game where the total is 130 to 139.5.
Key Injuries
Utah Utes: M. Saunders Jr. (G) Out indefinitely - Undisclosed.
UCLA Bruins: A. Bailey (G) Out Fri - Foot. E. Manjikian (F) Out indefinitely - Arm.
Notable Quotes
“We showed a lot of character coming back and giving ourselves some chances. We cut it to five late, and then we foul and they miss a free throw and we give up an offensive rebound to their point guard. You can’t do that if you expect to be great.” - Craig Smith after his team’s loss against Oregon in their last game.
“No. You can grow the wrong way. You got guys playing selfish. Not worried about defense. Taking bad shots. Letting a team back in the game. You can grow from it, grow to the bench.” - Mick Cronin on his team growing more from their close win against USC in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Utah Utes
M. Anthony
B. Carlson
B. Carlson
G. Madsen
R. Worster
UCLA Bruins
A. Bailey
A. Bona
T. Campbell
J. Clark
J. Jaquez
Statistical Leaders
Utah Utes
PPG: B. Carlson (15.7)
APG: R. Worster (5.1)
Reb/G: B. Carlson (7.4)
UCLA Bruins
PPG: J. Jaquez Jr. (16.9)
APG: T. Campbell (4.6)
Reb/G: J. Clark (6.8)
Coaches:
Utah Utes: Craig Smith (2nd season)
UCLA Bruins: Mick Cronin (4th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
