Utah Runnin' Utes (5-2) vs Arizona Wildcats (6-0)
Thursday, December 01, 2022 at 8:30 pm
My math model only favors Arizona by 5.1 points in this game and the Wildcats are 1-7 ATS in their last eight games following a win and 1-5 ATS in their last six games versus .501 or greater opposition. Utah’s success is predicated on a suffocating defense that has been 14.2 points per game better than average this season (56.7 points per game to teams that would combine to average 70.9 points per game against a mediocre defense). The Utes are 2nd in the nation in field goal percentage defense (33.72), 14th in three-point field goal percentage (25.6), 14th in scoring defense (56.7) and 7th in defensive rebounds per game (31.29). Second-year head coach Craig Smith welcomes back all five starters from last year’s team and added experience and depth via the transfer portal. Junior transfers Mike Saunders (Cincinnati) and Ben Carlson (Wisconsin) provide additional depth, while freshman Wilguens Exacte is contributing 12 minutes per game off the bench. Utah is bigger, deeper, and more experienced in Smith’s second season in Salt Lake City and is primed to make some noise in the Pac-12 Conference. Grab the points with the Utes and invest with confidence.