Game info

Who: No. 14 Arizona (11-3, 1-0) at Utah (10-3, 2-0)

Where: Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City

When: Thursday at 7 p.m.

Watch: ESPN

Listen: 1290-AM, 107.5-FM

Updates: @TheWildcaster (Twitter), TheWildcaster (Facebook)

Probable starters: Arizona

Probable starters: Utah

How they match up

The series

Arizona is 31-29 all time against Utah and 10-1 against the Utes since they joined the Pac-12 in 2011-12, but the Wildcats lost the last time they visited Huntsman Center, 70-64 on Feb. 27, 2016. Jakob Poeltl had 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Utes in that game, while both Gabe York (3-12) and Kadeem Allen (3-10) had off shooting nights. The Wildcats beat Utah 66-56 at McKale Center in their only meeting last season. Dusan Ristic had 18 points and eight rebounds to lead UA.

Utah overview

Despite losing nine transfers plus early NBA picks Kyle Kuzma and Poeltl in the past two offseasons, the Utes appear to be back in the thick of the Pac-12 race after sweeping Oregon and Oregon State last weekend. Coach Larry Krystkowiak has reloaded in large part by also getting on the receiving end of the transfer equation, with all of his current starters having transferred from four-year or junior colleges.

Utah has an average of 2.18 years of experience in Kenpom.com calculations. The Utes are led in the low-post by former Utah State standout David Collette, while Tyler Rawson adds passing and 3-point shooting not often seen in a 6-10 player. Justin Bibbins is a quick, aggressive point guard, and his presence allows combo guard Sedrick Barefield to play more off the ball. Barefield is effective getting to the basket and shooting free- throws (88.9 percent) but is shooting just 23.4 percent from 3-point range.

Utah runs a slower-than-average pace even though it has scored 75.7 points per game. The Utes aren’t a great rebounding team, especially on offense, where they collect only 25.5 percent of their missed shots (the 71st worst rate in Division I). They take 44.4 percent of their shots beyond the 3-point line but make them at a mediocre 36.0- percent rate, and are much more efficient on the free-throw line (77.9, the 14th-best rate in Division I).

Injury report

Utah forward Donnie Tillman (sprained foot) and forward Chris Seeley (gallbladder surgery) are questionable.

He said it

“The one element that Bibbins gives them is to be a quick point guard, pass the ball, disrupt the other team defensively. He gives them a little bit of everything. He gives them a defensive presences. He gives them quickness, somebody who can run their team. But he’s also a double-figure scorer and somebody who has really shot the ball well from three.” – UA coach Sean Miller

Key player: Justin Bibbins

The Long Beach State grad transfer might be one of the most effective pound-for-pound players in the country, powering the Utes with quickness and aggressiveness on both sides of the ball. He’s a respectable scorer who also has a 2.6-1 assist-turnover ratio, averages a steal per game and isn’t afraid to take charges despite being only 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds.

Key player: Parker Jackson-Cartwright

Not only is PJC an intriguing matchup for Bibbins, but his steady hand will likely be needed in a true road environment. Jackson-Cartwright had nine assists with no turnovers in UA’s win over Utah last season and he is coming off a six-assist, one-turnover game against ASU. His ratio was 5-1 in UA’s last road game, at New Mexico on Dec. 16.

Different strokes

It figured that the one guy on Arizona’s roster who was most likely to ask sophomore Rawle Alkins about his short shorts would be sophomore Dylan Smith, whose baggy shorts complement his long and slender 6-foot-5 frame.

So Smith sought an answer.

“I used to ask Rawle last year, ‘Why do you wear your shorts so small?’ “ Smith said. “He said it feels good. I was like, ‘All right.’ He asked me the same thing: ‘Why are your shorts so long?’ It just feels good. We’re just comfortable.”

No time to celebrate

For many Arizona opponents, the chance to play the Wildcats brings a rush of emotion that can bring out their best.

But Utah already had a major rush last weekend, sweeping the Oregon road trip for the first time since joining the Pac-12 in 2011-12.

That worries Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak, whose team must host UA and fourth-ranked ASU this week.

“I spoke to the team about that each one of these conference games is about a mile and a half in a marathon. It’s a grind,” Krystkowiak said. “We’re not talking about Oregon. We’re not talking about Arizona State. We’re not talking about the 14 (Pac-12) games after this weekend.

“It’s not a big picture thing at this point. You gotta kind of get to that next point. We’re in a grind mode right now.”

L.A. rock star

Before Krystkowiak pulled in a commitment from Kuzma over mostly mid-major programs back in 2013, he listened to the Michigan forward talk about the NBA.

Same thing happened from the moment Kuzma showed up on campus a year later, too.

“I was never gonna be the one to tell him he couldn’t do it,” Krystkowiak said this week about the standout Lakers’ rookie. “He had his heart set on it and now it’s pretty cool watching it come together.”

Krystkowiak said Kuzma is now “like a little rock star in L.A., you know, running the city,” but it didn’t just happen overnight that Kuzma became a surprise No. 27 pick of the Lakers and is now averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds for them.

“He earned it,” Krystkowiak said. “There were many mornings I ended up getting to the office really early and I could hear a ball bouncing in the gym. You’d peek in and there was Kuzma.”

Numbers game

3

Turnovers Utah committed in its win at Oregon

5

Straight Arizona wins in true road games

64.8

Arizona’s winning percentage in Pac-12 road games since the league expanded in 2011-12, the best mark in the conference.

66.7

Average points Utah has given up this season.