The No. 1 team in college basketball, the Arizona Wildcats, is beginning its Big 12 season against the Utah Utes today at 4:00 p.m. ET. Arizona has a perfect 13-0 record, while Utah has gone 8-5 in its first 13 games. This is the 73rd all-time matchup between the Wildcats and the Utes, with Arizona leading the series 41-31. Arizona has won its previous four games against Utah.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Arizona is -18.5 against Utah. The total is set at 162.5 points with both being -110. Check out my prediction for Arizona vs. Utah below.
Arizona vs. Utah (4:00 p.m. ET)
For the first time since the 2023-24 season, the Arizona Wildcats have begun a season 13-0, marking their fourth time starting a season with at least 13 straight wins. Arizona isn’t just winning games but dominating its opponents. Ten of their wins have come by at least 21 points, with two of those coming against ranked teams. Arizona has as deep a roster as you’ll find in the sport, with seven players averaging nine-plus points per game.
But the Wildcats’ defense is particularly spectacular. Arizona has the third-best defensive rating on KenPom and has allowed 75 or fewer points in 12 consecutive contests. They have held eight of 13 opponents to 68 or fewer points. Arizona’s star-freshman Koa Peat is coming off a performance of 19 points and 14 rebounds, his second double-double of the season and most points since his first game. Peat’s fellow freshman Brayden Burries has recorded 10-plus points in eight straight games with four 20-point outings in that span.
Utah is coming off a loss to Washington and is 3-5 in its previous eight games. Via KenPom, Utah is ranked 124th with a 189th defensive rating and a 95th offensive rating. The Utes do have an elite scorer in Terrence Brown, who is averaging the 11th-most points in the country at 21.5. Don McHenry is Utah’s second leading scorer at 18.3 points per game.
The Utes have two elite guards but lack the depth needed to keep up with Arizona throughout an entire game. The Wildcats have won eight consecutive games by at least 21 points. Arizona’s previous victory by 18 points or fewer was against UConn on November 19.
