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Texas Christian vs Arizona Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions

TCU Looks To Play Giant Killer Once Again

Arizona Eyeing First NCAA Regional Trip Since 2017

Arizona is one of the few teams to have offensive and defensive ratings both in the top 20 nationally, which is why the Wildcats are one of the favorites when it comes to the March Madness predictions. It won’t be smooth sailing into the Sweet 16 as Texas Christian won five games this season against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll.

If there is a concern for Arizona it is that three of the top five scorers are sophomores while double-digit scorer and assists leader Kerr Kriisa missed his third straight game with an ankle injury. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd suggested that Kriisa is close to a return.

Players vie for the ball Texas Christian vs Arizona Picks
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP

Arizona (+550) has the second-best odds to win the national championship while Texas Christian comes in at +30000.

TCU Has No Problem with Seton Hall in March Madness Opener

Texas Christian opened more than a few eyes when the Horned Frogs took down a Top 10-ranked Kansas team in their first game in March. A win over nationally ranked Texas followed nine days later so don’t be advancing Pac-12 champion Arizona into the South Regional semifinals just yet.

TCU is best known as one of the top rebounding teams in the country and the Horned Frogs didn’t disappoint with a +13 advantage in that department but it was a stifling defensive effort that turned a first-round matchup against Seton Hall into a routine win for TCU. Seton Hall shot 29% from the field and on 3-pointers as Texas Christian won by 27 despite turning the ball over on its first four possessions.

Mike Miles led the way with 21 points as he has scored in double figures in all three postseason games this season including two in the Big 12 Tournament.

Texas Christian is 5-2 against the Las Vegas odds in its last seven games.

Arizona Shoots Way Into Second Round

Watching Wright State cut a 16-point lead to seven early in the second half certainly got the attention of the heavily favored Arizona Wildcats.

Christian Koloko had seven points and an assist during a 15-2 run that pushed the lead to 20 points.

Arizona, still playing without injured guard Kerr Kriisa, cruised to a 17-point win even though the Wildcats did not cover as 21½-point favorites.

Arizona shot 55% from the field and from 3-point range as the trio of Koloko, Dalen Terry and Azuolas Tubelis were a combined 19-of-26 from the field as the Wildcats won their first game in the March Madness bracket since 2017.

Arizona nearly doubled the undersized Wright State team in rebounding although it figures to be a different story in the second round.

“It feels amazing,” Koloko told the media after the game. “You come to Arizona to play in the NCAA Tournament. This is my third year and this is my first time playing in the tournament.”

The college basketball spreads total has gone over in six of Arizona’s last seven games.

Texas Christian vs. Arizona Head-to-Head

Arizona won its lone matchup with TCU 63-48 although the result won’t be of much help to those who bet online since the game took place in 1952.

Arizona lost its last meeting with a No. 9 seed as Purdue won 72-63 as a 2½-point underdog in 2007.

Texas Christian vs. Arizona Game Information

  • Game: Texas Christian (21-12) vs. Arizona (32-3)
  • Location: Viejas Arena, San Diego, California
  • Day/Time: Sunday, March 20, 9:40 p.m. ET
  • Live Stream: TBS.com
  • 2022 March Madness bracket

Texas Christian vs. Arizona Betting Lines

Texas Christian vs. Arizona Prediction

Anybody who watched Texas Christian handle Kansas with ease earlier this month knows that the Horned Frogs are one dangerous No. 9 seed. Arizona is more explosive than the teams TCU faced in the Big 12 but not quite as good defensively.

Lloyd returned Arizona to prominence as the Wildcats won the Pac-12 regular-season title and added the conference tournament title. The next step is a run through the NCAA tournament.

The March Madness odds list Arizona as a 9½-point favorite. The line seems a bit on the high side but look for the Wildcats to advance. The 143-point total is the third-highest mark among Sunday’s NCAA games and it won’t be surprising to see it go over that number.

Pick: Arizona -470

Pick: Texas Christian +9½ (-110)

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