LOS ANGELES-Thursday, Utah men’s basketball (4-1, 1-0 in Pac-12 play) concludes 2020 by visiting the famed Pauley Pavilion to face UCLA (5-2, 1-0 in Pac-12 play).
The Utes score 73.8 points per game, tying them for 157th nationally in scoring offense with Duke.
Utah surrenders 62.2 points per game, ranking the Utes 43rd nationally in scoring defense.
Junior forward Timmy Allen is the Utes’ leading scorer, averaging 15.4 points per game as well as 5.2 rebounds per contest.
Also scoring in double figures on-average for the Utah is senior guard Alfonso Plummer (14.8 points per game).
The Utes leader in rebounds is Finnish national, sophomore forward Mikael Jantunen (5.3 boards per game).
Sophomore Rylan Jones leads Utah in assists (23) and steals (12) and sophomore center Branden Carlson leads the Utes with 8 blocked shots.
Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak is in his 10th season at the helm of the Utes’ program, having posted a record of 175-127 (.579).
Krystkowiak is 217-147 (.596) as a Division I head coach, having also coached at Montana (2004-2006).
UCLA score 77.3 points per game, ranking the Bruins 100th nationally in scoring offense.
The Bruins surrender 67.4 points per game, ranking UCLA 125th nationally in scoring defense.
UCLA sophomore guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (13.7 points per game) is the Bruins’ leading scorer.
Other double figures scorers on-average for UCLA include senior guard Chris Smith (12.1 points per game, a team-best seven steals), redshirt sophomore guard Tyger Campbell (11.1 points per game, a team-best 48 assists) and sophomore guard Johnny Juzang (10.7 points per game).
The Bruins are led on the glass by redshirt junior forward/center Jalen Hill (7 rebounds per game) while he also has a team-best 8 blocked shots.
UCLA is coached by Mick Cronin, who is 24-14 (.632) in his second season at Westwood.
Cronin is 389-185 (. 678) as a Division I men’s head coach, having previously coached at Murray State (2003-2006) and Cincinnati (2006-2019).
The Bruins lead the all-time series against the Utes 12-10 and 8-4 at Los Angeles.
