Utah @ UCLA preview

Utah at UCLA

Last Meeting ( Jan 14, 2017 ) UCLA 83, Utah 82

UCLA shook off a crushing loss two nights earlier with a season-high 107 points Saturday in a 23-point rout of host California and finds itself all alone atop the early Pac-12 standings. The Bruins will try to maintain their catbird seat as they tip off a two-game homestand Thursday night against Utah.

Against host Stanford last Thursday, UCLA frittered away a 13-point lead with nine minutes remaining in regulation and wound up surrendering a combined 71 points in the second half and overtime of a 107-99 double-OT loss. The Bruins did respond in fine fashion, though, versus Cal, shooting a season-high 58.2 percent from the field, including 17-of-30 from 3-point range, as all five starters scored in double figures. “We averaged 103 points on this trip, and we got a split,” UCLA coach Steve Alford said in his postgame news conference. “When you average 103, you should get two wins. So it’s still a growing process, and these guys are still learning.” Utah, meanwhile, is coming off back-to-back home losses to nationally-ranked Arizona (94-82) and Arizona State (80-77) after opening Pac-12 play with consecutive road wins for the first time since it joined the conference in 2011.

TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT UTAH (10-5, 2-2 Pac-12): The Utes hung tough with both the Wildcats and Sun Devils but couldn’t find a way to close out a win in either contest. Guards Justin Bibbins and Sedrick Barefield scored a combined 80 points in the two losses and are second and third on the squad with scoring averages of 13.7 and 12.2, respectively. Forward David Collette is averaging a team-most 13.8 points, but freshman forward Donnie Tillman, averaging 10.2 points and 6.2 rebounds, has missed five of the last six games with a foot sprain.

ABOUT UCLA (12-4, 3-1): Aaron Holiday leads the Bruins in scoring 19.4 per game, and the junior guard has stepped things up in Pac-12 play with a 24.8-point average, including a 12-of-21 performance from 3-point range in the four contests. Freshman backcourt mate Kris Wilkes is averaging 13.6 points while senior forward Thomas Welsh, who has worn a protective face mask since taking a blow to the nose Dec. 29 against Washington, is averaging 12.8 and a team-leading 11.1 rebounds after notching his 10th double-double (19 points-14 rebounds) of the season Saturday. Guards Jaylen Hands (11.8 points) and Prince Ali (10.6) also are averaging double figures for UCLA which ranks second in the Pac-12 and 21st nationally with 85.6 points per outing.

TIP-INS

1. The teams have split the last six meetings, but UCLA leads the series 9-7, including a 6-3 mark in L.A.

2. Utah ranks second in the conference in scoring defense (69.4 points) and is tops in the league at defending the 3-point arc with opponents shooting 30.5 percent.

3. The Utes play five of their next seven on the road before closing out the regular season with five of their final seven in Salt Lake City.

PREDICTION: UCLA 77, Utah 75