The surging Arizona Wildcats look unbeatable right now, but could a road trip to face the Utah Utes be a trap game for Allonzo Trier, DeAndre Ayton, and the Wildcats?
TV Schedule: Thursday, Jan. 4, 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Arena: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Since a three-game stretch in the Battle 4 Atlantis that saw the Arizona Wildcats lose to the NC State Wolf Pack, SMU Mustangs, and Purdue Boilermakers, they remain unbeaten, reeling off eight straight wins. Two of these wins were against teams that have been inside the top five this season, the Arizona State Sun Devils and Texas A&M Aggies, and it really looks like, with the return of Rawle Alkins, the Wildcats might once again be the top five team we thought they were coming into the 2017-18 college basketball season.
Arizona’s next opponent, the Utah Utes, are desperate for a win and, with the mighty Wildcats coming to the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, this team will believe they can pull off an upset and transform their season.
Utah already has 10 wins, but their three losses have come to teams that haven’t been great at times this season. A marquee win is a must for the Utes, even if it comes at home. The good news is that this team will play Arizona State and Arizona twice each this season. The bad news is that they play both of these teams twice, and the losses could begin to pile up quickly.
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Arizona should win this game as they begin to find their top form, but I still think we have not heard the last of this Utah team before March.
Prediction: Arizona 78, Utah 70