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Pac-12 Rundown: UCLA Looks to Stay Atop Against Second-Place Utah
While there will be no ranked showdowns in the Pac-12 this week, Thursday’s matchup between Utah and UCLA will be for first place in the conference, as UCLA is still perfect in conference play while Utah has just one conference loss.
A recent win by Washington State at Arizona, when listed by the Las Vegas odds as a 12-point underdog, indicates there is no such thing as a sure thing in the Pac-12 this season.
UCLA moved up three spots to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, while Arizona fell from fifth to ninth. Arizona is sixth and UCLA is ninth in the coaches poll. No other Pac-12 team is receiving votes in the either national poll.
According to the college basketball playoff odds, UCLA and Arizona are tied for fifth in the odds to win the national championship. Both are priced at +1400. USC is well back at +15000.
Here’s a look at the best games this week in the Pac-12.
Let’s check the latest NCAAB picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAB predictions. We’ve plenty of NCAAB expert picks for you to consider.
Game of Week
Utah Utes vs UCLA Bruins
- Date, time (TV): Thursday, Jan. 12th, 11:00 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
First place in the Pac-12 will be on the line as UCLA (14-2, 5-0) welcomes Utah (12-5, 5-1) to Pauley Pavilion.
A key for UCLA has been the emergence of Jaylen Clark. Clark averaged 2.5 and 6.7 points per game during his first two seasons at UCLA. He has moved into the starting lineup and is putting up 14.2 points and 6.8 rebounds in 29.3 minutes per game. In addition, Adem Bona has been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for the last two weeks.
𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞-𝟮-𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 …
Congrats to freshman Adem Bona on being named the @Pac12 Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive week.
🏀🗒️: https://t.co/soZIRGA0hi pic.twitter.com/H2dmv4mhpI
— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) January 9, 2023
Utah lost to Oregon on Saturday. The Utes were led by 7-footer Branden Carlson, who contributes 15.7 points (on 54% shooting) and 7.4 rebounds per game.
UCLA follows up that game by playing host to Colorado on Saturday, while Utah plays at USC. UCLA has won five of the last six meetings with Colorado, while the last three USC-Utah games finished over the total.
Other Games to Watch
Colorado Buffaloes vs Southern California Trojans
- Date, time (TV): Thursday, Jan. 12th, 9:00 p.m. ET (Pac-12 Network)
Colorado (11-6, 3-3) opened in 2023 with wins over Oregon and Oregon State. The Buffaloes held the Ducks and Beavers to 30.5% shooting and 18% on 3-pointers.
Troy da Silva had 47 points and 12 rebounds in the two wins.
USC (11-5, 3-2) has dropped back-to-back games as the Trojans went 6 of 34 on 3-pointers.
Boogie Ellis, USC’s top scorer, is 0 for 7 on 3-pointers in the last two games.
Colorado had won seven games in a row in the series before the Trojans won 61-58 as a 2½-point favorite on the road on January 2022. Ten of the last 12 games between the Trojans and Buffaloes finished under the total.
Arizona State Sun Devils vs Oregon Ducks
- Date, time (TV): Thursday, Jan. 12th, 9:00 p.m. ET (FS1)
Arizona State (13-3, 4-1) is trying to stay within range of first-place UCLA. The Sun Devils are just 2-2 on the road this season, while seven of the nine wins for Oregon (9-7, 3-2) have come at home.
Michigan transfer Frankie Collins is averaging 11 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his first season with the Sun Devils.
Will Richardson is just 6-20 (1 of 7 on 3-pointers) in the last two games for Oregon.
Arizona State also plays at Oregon State on Saturday, with Oregon drawing Arizona.
Six of the last seven games in the series went over the total.
Arizona Wildcats vs Oregon State Ducks
- Date, time (TV): Thursday, Jan. 12th, 11:00 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Arizona barely escaped with a home win against Washington before falling to Washington State in Tucson two days later on Saturday, so perhaps that loss will be what the Wildcats need to get back to playing solid basketball.
Azuolas Tubelis is averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds over his last four games for Arizona (14-2, 3-2).
Oregon State (7-9, 1-4) has lost three games in a row, with the starters missing 20 of 30 field-goal attempts the last time out.
It will be a challenging few days for the Wildcats, with a nationally televised game at Oregon on Saturday.
The Wildcats have won the last five games against Oregon State and 12 of the last 13. Six of the last seven games in the series were decided by double digits, with six of the last eight going over the total.
Oregon had won seven games in a row against Arizona before the Wildcats took the most recent matchup 84-81 as a 12½-point favorite at home on February 2022.
As for the other teams, Washington State plays host to California on Wednesday and Stanford on Saturday. The Cardinal will be looking for the first conference win of the season against a Washington State team fresh off an upset for Arizona. Stanford is at Washington on Thursday, while Cal plays at Washington on Saturday.
