UCLA @ Utah preview

UCLA at Utah

Last Meeting ( Feb 9, 2019 ) Utah 93, UCLA 92

Utah overwhelmed USC on Thursday and moved a win away from wrapping up the third seed and first-round Pac-12 Tournament bye. The Runnin’ Utes get that chance Saturday when they host UCLA in the regular-season finale.

Behind a combined 56 points from Parker Van Dyke, Timmy Allen and Sedrick Barefield, Utah topped the Trojans 83-74, shooting 52.5 percent, including 11-of-27 3-pointers, and notching 18 assists while hitting the 83-point mark for the fifth time in its last seven games. “We had a number of one-pass, no-pass shots to start the game,” Utes coach Larry Krystkowiak said in his post-game news conference. “… But once we got going with the passing, it was contagious.” UCLA, meanwhile, struggled through its most lopsided Pac-12 loss of the season Thursday, falling 93-68 at Colorado. The Bruins, though, still sit only a game behind Utah as part of a four-way logjam in fourth place and would love to avenge a last-second 93-92 home loss to the Utes on Feb. 9.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network

ABOUT UCLA (16-14, 9-8 Pac-12): Guards Kris Wilkes and Jaylen Hands combined for 37 points against the Buffaloes, but the rest of the Bruins totaled 31 as they shot a combined 35.9 percent as a team and managed only six assists. UCLA also was outrebounded 47-35, and defense continues to be an issue as Colorado shredded the Bruins’ zone, marking the fourth time in the last five games an opponent has scored at least 80 points. Wilkes (17.2 points per game) and Hands (13.9) continue to pace the team in scoring, but more will be needed from freshman center Moses Brown (10.2 points, team-leading 8.5 rebounds), who was limited to three points and three boards in 15 minutes due to foul trouble.

ABOUT UTAH (16-13, 10-7): After finishing 0-for-5 and going scoreless in a 71-63 loss at Colorado last Saturday, Van Dyke drilled 6-of-9 3-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points versus USC. Van Dyke also hit the winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in the earlier win at UCLA as the Utes rallied from a 22-point deficit over the game’s final 12 minutes. Overall, Barefield (16.8 points), Allen (12.0) and forward Donnie Tillman (10.2) are averaging double figures for Utah, which might have to play a second straight game without 7-footer Jayce Johnson (7.0 points, team-leading 7.5 rebounds) who sat out Thursday with an ankle issue.

TIP-INS

1. With Utah’s win Feb. 9, the teams have split their last eight meetings.

2. The Utes lead the Pac-12 with a 46.8 field-goal percentage and rank second in 3-point accuracy at 37.4 percent.

3. UCLA has struggled away from home and fell to 3-9 in road/neutral-site games with the loss at Colorado.

PREDICTION: Utah 78, UCLA 71