Subscribe
Follow Us
The UTSA Roadrunners take on the Utah Utes. Check out our college basketball odds series for our UTSA-Utah prediction and pick.
The Utah Utes needed a little time to settle into their season. They lost at home to Sam Houston State. They lost to Mississippi State as well. Their offense was struggling. Utah wasn't able to establish a rhythm and separate itself from its opponents. Then came the game which has seemingly changed everything for second-year head coach Craig Smith. Utah hammered Arizona by 15 points, winning 81-66 and getting an elite performance from frontcourt star Branden Carlson and a backcourt whose defense shut down the Wildcats. Utah was able to play on even terms with Arizona's high-level frontcourt and then win the matchup on the perimeter and the wings. Arizona shot an extremely low percentage from 3-point range and was never able to get its transition game going. Arizona loves to run the floor and push the pace, but the Wildcats weren't able to do that against Utah. The Utes had been struggling, but something inside them was awakened in that thumping of the Wildcats, who were Pac-12 champions and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season.
The big question coming out of the Arizona win was if the Utes could sustain their level of play. So far, so good. Utah played a much less fluid game on the road against Washington State, but the Utes' defense was up to the task at the end of regulation and throughout the overtime period. Utah earned a tough 67-65 victory over the Cougars to move to 2-0 in Pac-12 play. Utah then crushed Jacksonville State by a 99-58 score, easily covering the spread against an inferior nonconference opponent. Utah is thriving, and that is the uncomfortable truth UTSA must face.
UTSA is 5-4 and has lost three of its last four games. However, the Roadrunners lost two of those three games to Grambling and New Mexico. Those losses aren't nearly as bad as a lot of analysts and experts might have thought before the season began. Grambling has beaten Colorado and Vanderbilt so far this season. Grambling is hardly a pushover. That's a tough team. New Mexico is a very surprising 10-0 this season under coach Richard Pitino. The Lobos are a real force, having answered every challenge which has come their way. So, when evaluating UTSA's 5-4 record, you need to look at the caliber of opponents the Roadrunners have faced. Their loss to Dartmouth is more alarming than the losses to Grambling or New Mexico. It will be fascinating to see how UTSA fares in this clash in Salt Lake City against a Utah team which has found a new level of belief.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the UTSA-Utah College Basketball odds.
College Basketball Odds: UTSA-Utah Odds
UTSA Roadrunners: +21.5 (-105)
Utah Utes: -21.5 (-115)
Over: 139.5 (-110)
Under: 139.5 (-110)
Article Continues Below
Why UTSA Could Cover the Spread
The Utah offense has been better in recent weeks, but it has to remain in rhythm. If the Utes are thrown out of their groove, UTSA will be able to make this an ugly, grinding game in which it can bother Utah for at least 25 to 30 minutes and keep this game reasonably close.
Why Utah Could Cover the Spread
The Utes are flying. They are playing great basketball, and coach Craig Smith is known for getting the most out of his rosters. Smith struggled last season, but that was his first year with the Utes. Now he seems to have figured things out.
Final UTSA-Utah Prediction & Pick
The Utes are on a roll. It's hard to bet against them versus a lower-tier team.
Final UTSA-Utah Prediction & Pick: Utah -21.5
