California vs. Utah Betting Line – January 27
Carrie Stroup here with your California vs. Utah betting line for Wednesday January 27 Utah -7, Total: 136.5
CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS (14-6) at UTAH UTES (15-5)
Pac-12 foes California and Utah meet on Wednesday night with both looking to keep their conference winning streaks alive.
When California and Utah meet on Wednesday night, the Utes will be looking to avenge a defeat just 24 days ago when the Golden Bears outlasted visiting Utah, 71-58 (California -3). That game saw senior leading scorer G Tyrone Wallace (15.4 PPG) struggle for 10 points on 3-10 FG while other Golden Bears stepped up. That storyline takes on new meaning Wednesday night, as it did for California’s two home wins last week over the Arizona schools (75-70 over Arizona State; California -7.5, and 74-73 over No. 12 Arizona on Saturday; California +2.5). Wallace will be out with injury indefinitely after breaking his wrist last Monday in practice.
Utah has reeled off three straight victories after an impressive road swing, beating Washington State and Washington, respectively, last week. The road sweep was a first for coach Larry Krystkowiak’s club since becoming members of the Pac-12, as they finished it out in style with an 80-75 overtime win on Sunday at Washington (Utah -4). The Utes return home to a 9-1 SU (2-5-1 ATS) record at the Huntsman Center, while the Golden Bears are only 1-6 SU (2-5 ATS) away from home this season. California is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road, in fact.
California owns a 5-3 SU (5-3 ATS) mark against Utah since the Utes joined the Pac-12 in 2012. Utah’s first home win over California as a Pac-12 member came in last February’s 76-61 (Cal +17.5) win. While Utah is playing more up-tempo than they did last season, the total for six of the last seven games involving the Utes has gone UNDER. Recent history also shows that the total has gone UNDER in five of the last seven meetings between Utah and California.
When coach Cuonzo Martin’s club got the news that senior leader Wallace would be out – possibly for the remainder of the season – it seemed to be almost a nail in the coffin for their postseason aspirations. Losers of three straight going into last Thursday’s game with Arizona State, the Golden Bears got some of that young talent they boast to step up in a big way and possibly save their season.
Freshman F Ivan Rabb (12.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 64% FG) posted the best game of his young career in the win over the Sun Devils, with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and a career-high six assists, while his fellow freshman frontcourt partner, F Jaylen Brown (15.0 PPG, 5.7 RPG) contributed 17 points on 5-7 FG in just 20 foul-plagued minutes. If Martin’s club is going to galvanize without Wallace’s services for the long-term, you can bet that Rabb and Brown (two projected NBA first-round picks) will be at the center of that success.
California capped their great week outlasting No. 13 Arizona at home, 74-73, as junior G Jordan Mathews (13.6 PPG, 45% 3PT) pumped in a season-high 28 points (10-17 FG, 6-12 3PT) off the bench against one of the Pac-12’s best defenses.
Speaking of defense, it continues to be California’s calling card, allowing 66.5 PPG (48th NCAA). California held on against Arizona by thwarting two scoring chances inside the arc in the final seconds, which should come as no surprise as the Golden Bears rank first in Division 1 in two-point field goal defense (39.2% 2PT FG). Off of those misses, California also owns elite defensive rebounding numbers (26.4 DRPG, 30th NCAA) and an overall rebounding margin of +6.9 (31st NCAA).
G Jabari Bird (8.7 PPG) is one to watch in Wallace’s absence, as he’s the only other threat from beyond the arc besides Mathews. A double-figure scorer who’s struggled mightily this season, Bird is starting to get back on track with 38 points (and seven threes) over his last three games.
Utah is led by it’s own future NBA draft pick, F Jakob Poeltl (16.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 64% FG, 1.8 BPG), who is the reigning Pac-12 player of the week. Poeltl garnered such honors by scoring 53 points in the two wins over the Cougars and Huskies, including a career-high 29 in the OT win over Washington Sunday night.
Poeltl not only does the obvious things well (scoring in the paint, protecting the rim, rebounding) but he stays out of foul trouble (only 3+ fouls in a game once in January) and his improvement at the free throw line between this year and last has been startling (70% this season; 44% last season). Poeltl went 13-16 from the line on Sunday, punishing the smaller Huskies who had to resort to fouling, and should prove equally tough to stop for California, having already posted a 19 point, 10 rebound double-double against the Golden Bears in Utah’s loss earlier this season.
Poeltl is one of four double-figure scorers for coach Krystkowiak’s club, as the Utes – normally known for a slower pace of play and defense – have looked to score more this season. With F Jordan Loveridge (11.8 PPG), F Kyle Kuzma (11 PPG), and G Lorenzo Bonam (10.4) along with senior G Brandon Taylor (9.0 PPG), the Utes offense is more than just Poeltl. Utah’s 76.8 PPG (84th NCAA) is up from 70.9 last season.
While the Utes have missed the perimeter disruptor they had on defense in departed Delon Wright, they’ve still been effective by keeping opponents off the foul line. (Utah opponents attempt only 15 FT/game, 10th NCAA). Unfortunately, Utah is subpar against the three (39% 3PT against, 327th NCAA) and will have to keep the hot-shooting Mathews from breaking out as he did against Arizona.
