Which Team Favors From Neutral Playing Ground in UCLA's Next Matchup?

The UCLA Bruins and the Gonzaga Bulldogs will face off against each other at the Intuit Dome; which team will favor from the neutral court positioning?

Dec 14, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; UCLA Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau (34) celebrates against the Arizona Wildcats in the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The No. 22 UCLA Bruins return to action against the No. 14 Gonzaga Bulldogs on basketball, but the battle won't be held at either team's home court. The Bruins and Bulldogs will square off in the Intuit Dome, and with the playing field being neutral, it's worth asking which team will gain the upper hand over its opponent.

The Bruins could easily view this game to be their typical road game, and on the road this season, UCLA has been nothing short of spectacular. The Bruins played their only game on the road this season by taking down the Oregon Ducks. While UCLA is used to home-field advantage, the squad knows a thing or two when playing on the road.

Gonzaga has played on the road once this season as well, in which it was able to get the job done, defeating the San Diego State Aztecs by a score of 80-67. The beauty of a game being held at a neutral location is it provides the players the chance to focus on their game, not the roar of the road crowd rooting against them.

UCLA has only defeated Gonzaga twice in the two teams'' all-time series. The two teams' last four meetings have all been at neutral sites, none of which the Bruins have won.

The last time these two teams played each other was last season, and the Bulldogs walked away victorious, 69-65. Given the way the Bruins and Bulldogs have played this season up until this point, Saturday could very well be another closely contested game.

After the Bruins' latest loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels, UCLA should come out firing, looking to avoid its first back-to-back losses on the season.

As for the Bulldogs, Gonzaga should also bring it to UCLA, regardless of the neutral playing field, which has only favored them in the past. Gonzaga is seeking its 10th victory, but UCLA wants to end its four-game skid to the Bulldogs.

UCLA had been on a nine-game win streak heading into its loss to the Tar Heels. A win over Gonzaga would make a huge statement for a team that needs to bounce back and head into 2025 on a high note.

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