UCLA vs. Arizona Pac-12 Championship: How to Watch, Game Info, Betting Odds
The Pac-12 champion will be crowned Saturday night, with the top-seeded Wildcats getting a chance to best the Bruins for the second time in three meetings this season.
WHO: UCLA vs. Arizona
DATE: Saturday, March 12
TIME: 6 p.m. PT
LOCATION: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
TV: FOX – Joe Davis (play-by-play), Casey Jacobsen (analyst)
STREAMING: fuboTV – Get 7-day Free Trial
RADIO: AM 570, Sirius Ch. 84, XM Ch. 84, SXM App Ch. 84 – Josh Lewin (play-by-play), Tracy Murray (analyst)
SPREAD: Arizona -1.5 (-118), UCLA +1.5 (-110)*
MONEY LINE: Arizona (-133), UCLA (+105)*
OVER/UNDER: O 143 (-110), U 143 (-118)
UCLA is the No. 13 team in the country according to the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll. Arizona is No. 2 in both polls.
The latest KenPom ratings have the Bruins at No. 7 and the Wildcats at No. 2, while the NET Rankings slot UCLA in at No. 10 and Arizona at No. 2. Bracketologists are in agreement that the Bruins are currently in line to be a high No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, with a win possibly bumping them up a seedline or two, while the Wildcats are near-lock for a No. 1 seed.
UCLA finished the regular season 23-6, featuring notable wins over Arizona, Villanova, Marquette and USC. Losses to Arizona State and Oregon set the Bruins back in February, but both of those defeats came on the road and their only home loss this year came when fans were not allowed in the stands due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A 75-65 win over Washington State in the quarterfinals on Thursday powered UCLA into the semifinals for the first time since 2018, and they are now winners in seven of their last eight contests.
The Bruins are averaging 76.4 points per game and allowing 64.2. UCLA boasts the best scoring defense and second-best scoring offense in the Pac-12 while also being in the top five in the nation in limiting their turnovers at just 9.2 per game.
Guard Johnny Juzang is UCLA's top scorer so far this season with 16.0 points per game, while guard/forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., guard Jules Bernard and guard Tyger Campbell are averaging 13.8, 12.6 and 11.4 a night, respectively. Campbell has the most assists per game with 4.3 and center Myles Johnson has the most rebounds per game with 5.7 while shooting a team-best 62.8% from the field.
Jaquez has scored 97 points across his last four games, also recording two double-doubles in his last seven outings.
Arizona finished the regular season 28-3, winning 14 of their last 15 games to best UCLA's 8-1 stretch entering Saturday. Their only loss came on the road against Colorado, and they were able to pick up quality wins over Illinois and Michigan before taking care of business against USC, Oregon and others in conference play.
The Wildcats are averaging 84.3 points per game and allowing 67.3. Arizona leads the Pac-12 in points, rebounds, assists, but its defense ranked in the bottom half of the conference.
Arizona is without starting point guard Kerr Kriisa, but still boasts three more scorers averaging double figures in Pac-12 Player of the Year Benedict Mathurin, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Christian Koloko and Azuolas Tubelis. Pelle Larsson also took home Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, while Tommy Lloyd won Pac-12 Coach of the Year.
Mick Cronin is now in his 19th season as a head coach, and he has an all-time record of 431-199 with 12 NCAA tournament appearances across stints at Murray State, Cincinnati and UCLA. Lloyd is in his first season as a head coach, coming over from Gonzaga's staff last offseason.
UCLA is 60-43 against Arizona since 1950. The Bruins have won six of the last seven head-to-head showdowns with the Wildcats.
Arizona won the Feb. 3 matchup 76-66 while UCLA won the first meeting 75-59 on Jan 25.
*Odds via SI Sportsbook
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA men's basketball stories: UCLA Men's Basketball on Sports Illustrated
