The Washington Huskies (8-4) will battle with the Utah Utes (10-2) for an exciting college basketball showdown on Sunday, December 31 at 6:00 PM ET at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utes are moderate favorites for success, as they have a point spread at -10.5 (-110).

The Huskies recently had their four-game win streak snapped, which included a 78-73 upset over seventh-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs. In this recent defeat, they fell short 73-69 to the Colorado Buffalo.

Keion Brooks Jr. is leading the Huskies with 20.1 points per game and 7.7 rebounds. He makes 48.6 percent of his shots from the floor and is 80.6 percent from the charity stripe. His performance will be key to their success here.

The Huskies are averaging 81.8 points per game and shoot 47.1 percent from the floor. They are not shy at sharing the basketball, as they average 16.3 assists per matchup.

They are allowing 74.3 points per game from opposing teams. They also affect the game in other positive ways, such as 38.4 rebounds, 5.1 blocks, and 5.8 steals per matchup.

The Utes have won their last seven games, including a 73-69 win over the 14^th-ranked BYU Cougars. In their latest victory, they defeated the Washington State Cougars 80-58, giving them excellent momentum here.

Branden Carlson takes over their offense with 17.0 points per game on 47.4 percent shooting. He is also netting 76.9 percent of his free throw attempts, which could be better.

The Utes get 80.6 points per game and are making 48.5 percent of their shots. They move the ball slightly more than the Huskies do with 18.1 assists each game.

Their defense also appears to be slightly better too, as they allow 67.6 points from opposing teams. They also contribute 39.4 rebounds, 4.8 blocks, and 7.3 steals each time on the hardwood.

MyBookie provides the odds for this college basketball showdown, with Utah as the 10.5 point favorites to win. Looking at market insights, it shows they have a 74.3 percent chance of success.

Both teams have been able to knock off a respectable ranked opponent, making them dangerous teams to play against. But, will one of them be able to translate that over to this game?

The Utes are likely to win this game, but the Huskies have a great opportunity to close the gap and to cover the spread. Look for the Huskies to keep this game close.