With less than two weeks remaining in the month of February, chances are getting fewer and fewer for Pac-12 teams to claim enviable positions in the upcoming conference tournament. A pair of games between four of the top six teams on Friday in the conference could have a lot to say in that regard.
The No. 8 Colorado Buffaloes will visit the No. 22 Utah Utes while the No. 11 Oregon State Beavers plan to host the No. 9 UCLA Bruins. All of those teams are within three games of the Pac-12’s top spot with five games left to play on their schedules.
Colorado at Utah details, handicapping
This is the second meeting of these two teams on the 2023-24 season but comes about a month and a half after the first. Both teams will enter the game relatively healthy for this point in the season although Utah has been without Gianna Kneepkens since early December.
- Tip-off: 8 p.m. ET, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024
- Venue: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Broadcast: Pac-12 Networks
- Previous matchup: Dec. 30, 2023, at Colorado, 76-65 Buffaloes win
- Last 5 games: Colorado WWWWL, Utah LWWLW
- Average points for: Colorado 77, Utah 81.4
- Average points against: Colorado 62.8, Utah 59.8
- Utah record: 18-7 overall, 10-2 at home, 8-5 Pac-12
- Colorado record: 20-4 overall, 7-1 on the road, 10-3 Pac-12
Colorado narrowly leads this series 22-21 but has lost 12 of 18 in Salt Lake City. Additionally, these teams have split their last 10 meetings across all venues. The Buffaloes have won back-to-back games in the series at this point, though.
If they are to push that to three in a row and cover on Friday, they’ll have to take their defensive performance from December on the road. During that contest, Colorado forced 20 Utah turnovers and held the Utes to just 25% shooting from 3-point range.
Utah averages just 13.8 turnovers per game and is the best team in the nation when it comes to the average number of made 3-point attempts per game. If the Utes are to cover in this one, they’ll have to not only avoid turnovers but get significant contributions from more than just Alissa Pili. In December, Pili scored 27 but no other Ute reached double figures.
Details and handicapping for UCLA at Oregon State
This is also a rematch on the 2023-24 season of a game that was played a month ago, albeit in a different venue. UCLA will be looking for the season sweep and to bypass Oregon State in the Pac-12 standings with a road win.
- Tip-off: 10 p.m. ET, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024
- Venue: Gill Coliseum, Corvalis, Oregon
- Broadcast: Pac-12 Networks
- Previous matchup: Jan. 7, 2024, at UCLA, 65-54 Bruins win
- Last 5 games: Oregon State WWWWW, UCLA LWLWW
- Average points for: Oregon State 73.6, UCLA 80.7
- Average points against: Oregon State 58.1, UCLA 62.3
- Oregon State record: 20-3 overall, 14-0 at home, 9-3 Pac-12
- UCLA record: 19-4 overall, 4-3 on the road, 8-4 Pac-12
This has also been a competitive series with the Bruins holding a 29-21 lead all-time. The Beavers have won 12 out of 23 meetings in Corvallis and six of the last 10 regardless of venue. UCLA has won each of the past two, however.
Although the Bruins have been without Emily Bessoir since mid-December, both teams are otherwise healthy entering Friday night’s contest. Earlier this season, UCLA was able to ward off Oregon State via simply defying one of the most suffocating defenses in the country.
While shooting 39.6% from the field is well below the Bruins’ average, it’s about five points better than what the Beavers normally hold opponents to. Replicating that on the road could be far more challenging for UCLA, though.
To cover in this one, Oregon State needs to press its advantage in the turnover column and create even more easy offense. In December, the Beavers outscored the Bruins 13-3 in fast break points.
