Washington State vs Utah Odds, Pick
| Washington State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
+7.5 -110 | 144.5 -110o / -110u | +275 |
| Utah Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Total Points | Moneyline |
-7.5 -110 | 144.5 -110o / -110u | -350 |
It's the final season of the Pac-12 conference, so let's get into the swing of conference play by discussing a matchup of two surprising teams.
The Utah Utes and Washington State Cougars enter the contest at 9-2, and both are firmly on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Washington State Cougars
Washington State started the season lava hot, winning eight of its first nine games before Santa Clara gave it a reality check.
The Cougars rely on defense, ranking 50th in defensive efficiency while keeping the tempo down. Kyle Smith tends to alter his style of play based on personnel. The 2023-24 Cougars look better equipped to use its size to slow down teams instead of run-and-gun.
The Cougs, similar to Utah, mostly play two-big lineups. The difference is none of Wazzu's bigs stretch the floor. Isaac Jones is strong and hopes to score on the Utes inside, as well as Oscar Cluff and Ruben Chinyelu.
I don't know where Washington State looks for perimeter shots outside of breakout guard Myles Rice, who's playing terrific after missing last year. Rice averages 15.5 points, 2.9 assists, and a team-best 1.9 steals per game. He's the guiding force for whatever success happens for the Cougs offense with his ability to score and create for the bigs. It's a lean night for the offense if Rice struggles, as one of the guards needs to get shots up, and Rice is the lone option.
Coach Craig Smith wants to get Wazzu out of its element, playing a faster game in the 75-80 point range instead of the 60s. So far, Washington State hasn't shown it can play good teams in the higher-point ranges, scoring fewer than 70 points in all three meetings against top-100 teams.
Utah Utes
The Utes have won six straight games, with its last loss coming on Thanksgiving week against St John's. Since then, Utah has taken wins over BYU, Saint Mary's, and Hawaii in the past six.
Utah's offense is vastly improved from a season ago, jumping from 127th to 27th in offensive efficiency. Part of the improvement comes from guards Rollie Worster and Gabe Madsen staying healthy, which didn't happen last season.
Utah's offense is among the PAC-12's most efficient. It sits 30th nationally in effective field goal percentage, shooting 38% from downtown. The elite shooting duo of Madsen and uber-versatile Branden Carlson is integral to Utah's success. Madsen has finally found shooting consistency, hitting on 45% of 72 attempts from deep.
Carlson is so steady, a 7-footer who can attack the rim off the bounce, pull up from deep, and block shots. There are very few things Carlson can't accomplish on the court. He's averaging 16 points, seven rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per contest and is the type of player who tops the scouting report. Against the post-oriented Washington State bigs, Carlson could camp around the perimeter to drag defenders out.
Utah's also strong on the defensive glass, allowing offensive rebounds on only 24% of misses. Washington State can be offensive rebound-reliant, but Utah won't avoid battling on the glass. That's where big-man duo Ben Carlson (no relation to Branden) and Lawson Lovering come into play, as both will battle Wazzu's strong frontcourt.
This game might be won on the boards.
Washington State vs. Utah
Betting Pick & Prediction
Utah is 5-1 against the spread at home this season, with the premier cover/win coming over BYU.
The only non-cover came in a look-ahead spot against Southern Utah right before the other Cougars from Provo came to town.
Following the Christmas break, expect an energized Utes squad from the jump in a convincing win.
Pick: Utah -7.5 (Play to -8)
ESPN Bet Sportsbook is now another option to maximize your Washington State vs Utah action. You can now use our ESPN BET promo code TANBONUS for a new user welcome.
