Arizona vs Utah Odds, Lines and Spread
By Chris Amberley in College Basketball
Published:
- Arizona is a 2-point road favorite over Utah on Thursday (Feb. 4th, 7 pm EST)
- Four of the Wildcats five road outings have gone over, while 70% of the Utes’ conference games have eclipsed the total
- See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction
Pac 12 play rolls on Thursday (Feb. 4th, 7 pm EST) with five games including Arizona visiting Utah. The Wildcats (13-4, 7-4 Pac 12) enter play winners of four of their last five, while the Utes (7-7, 4-6 Pac 12) have won three of their last five.
Arizona vs Utah Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Wildcats | -2 (-110) | OFF | Over 143.5 (-110) |
| Utah Utes | +2 (-110) | OFF | Under 143.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Feb. 3rd.
Arizona opened up as a short 2-point road favorite, in a game that features a total of 143.5. The Wildcats crushed Cal 71-50 last time out, reaching the 70 point mark for the seventh time in their last eight contests.
Wildcats on a Roll
Arizona easily covered as 9.5-point favorites, led by leading scorer James Akinjo. The Junior guard poured in 20 points, 13 of which came in the second half. He shot 50% from the floor and added 8 assists, helping the Wildcats knock off the Golden Bears for the ninth straight time.
⏪ Roll those highlights from yesterday's win#APlayersProgram pic.twitter.com/Aog59c0v4H
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) January 31, 2021
Arizona was blistering hot from the field, building a lead as large as 29 at one point. They shot 51.9% overall, and 46.2% from beyond the arc, while dominating the rebounding, assist and turnover battle.
They lead the Pac 12 in points per game, and rank second in 3-point field goal percentage, total rebounding and assists.
Defense was locked in today 🔒.
We allowed a season-low 50 points. pic.twitter.com/BxU5OAIsdZ
— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) January 31, 2021
Defensively, they held Cal to its lowest point total of the season, and just 38.3% from the field. They rank seventh in the conference in opponent points per game, but ninth at defending the 3, something that Utah can definitely expose.
Utes Trying to Turn Season Around
The Utes meanwhile, are coming off a 77-74 upset win over Colorado in a game where they trailed by as many as 19 points. After a four-game losing streak, they’ve reeled off three wins in their last five, getting back to the .500 mark for the season.
.@UtahMBB erases a 19-point deficit to snag the W! 🙌#GoUtes | #Pac12Hoops pic.twitter.com/eGvuc76syP
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) January 30, 2021
Reserve guard Alfonso Plummer led the way with 23, 21 of which came in the final 8 minutes. They shot 50% from the floor, and 45% from 3 versus the Buffaloes, handing Colorado its first home loss of the season.
Our guy Alfonso Plummer with 2️⃣3️⃣pts vs Colorado!💯#GoUtes🏀🔴 pic.twitter.com/ly734uAKPi
— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) January 31, 2021
Utah ranks first in the Pac 12 in field goal percentage and assists, and bring a balanced scoring attack to the table. Just two players (Plummer and Timmy Allen) average in double figures, but they get meaningful offensive production from eight rotational players.
Defensively, they rank fourth in opponent points per game, but are vulnerable to good 3-point shooting teams like Arizona.
Over and Out
Despite both programs’ relatively strong defenses, the over in their games has been a popular choice and for good reason. Utah has actually surrendered 72 points or more in three of its past four outings, and 70% of their conference games have eclipsed the total. Digging in a little deeper in relation to this game, the over is 5-3 in their home contests, and 2-1 when they’re home underdogs.
Arizona contests have been cashing over tickets at a 58.8% clip overall, while seven of its 11 conference games have exceeded the total. 143.5 is a big number to get over, but it would be par for the course for Wildcats basketball. Seven of their past 10 games have exceeded 143 points, with six of those contests eclipsing 150.
Jam3⃣s gets us on the board!
UA 4, Cal 0 | 15:54 1st
📺 @Pac12Network
📲 https://t.co/IxeIc5Vpld pic.twitter.com/ia8ORLLKqy— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) January 30, 2021
Given the strength of their offense, their 3-point prowess and the Utes high efficiency from the floor, I like this game to be another high scoring affair.
Pick: Over 143.5 (-110)
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
