Wildcats Meet Sun Devils in Battle for Arizona

Arizona State Sun Devils at Arizona Wildcats

Arizona State’s Upset Hopes

Arizona State will be taking on the role of the underdogs; even worse, they have lost five of their last six outings, most recently falling 78-56 to the No. 15 USC Trojans. The Sun Devils shot 34.4% from the field and 26.7% from beyond the arc, shooting splits that have become all too familiar for ASU fans.

DJ Horne leads his squad with 13.6 points per night and is one of the few capable perimeter shooters on the roster. He is joined in double-digit scoring by two other members, Kimani Lawrence, and Marcus Bagley, though the latter has only appeared in three games due to injury.

This ASU team does not have the typical characteristics of a high-ceiling underdog, namely streaky three-point shooting, tremendous defense, or overwhelming size, meaning that they will need to play a perfect game from start to finish to remain competitive.

Arizona’s Quest for a Title

The Wildcats have not been amongst the usual powerhouses in college basketball in recent times, though this has completely changed this season. With a 16-2 record and 6-1 conference standing that is tied for the best in the Pac-12, this Arizona team means business.

Sophomore Bennedict Mathurin’s line of 17.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists is one of the best in the nation, though he is only one of four players scoring at least 10 points per contest.

Arizona is commanding on the glass and has a multitude of shot-makers on its lineup, meaning that opposing teams need to be perfect on their defensive rotations or be at risk of being exploited. AU also leads the nation in team assists per game with 20.9, meaning that it is harder for their stars to have off-nights due to the quality of the looks they get.

Wildcats Crush the Sun Devils

Arizona is a commanding favorite at -21.5 (110), and with good reason: the Wildcats are better in virtually every way, are healthier, and have been playing better as of late. With the confidence gained in their recent win over California that marked their best start in program history, the Wildcats will be feeling themselves more than ever.

“I think the main thing is just getting the win,” said Tommy Lloyd.

“I don’t know if you’re going to have a clean, well, crisp-played game against an aggressive team like Arizona State.”

It is hard to draw up a path for the Sun Devils to notch an upset in this contest due to their lack of the usual “upset characteristics” and the fact that they are not dominant in any particular area. Instead, the real question is whether or not they can cover the spread, which they should not be expected to do.

If there is one wildcard factor, it is that this game is an in-state rivalry between two conference foes; even that, however, will likely not be enough to slow down the favorites. Take the home team to wallop the Sun Devils in a game that stays under the points total, but only because of the Wildcats’ defense.

For those looking to bet online, more NCAA basketball odds are available on the BETUS sportsbook.

Pick: Arizona Wildcats -21.5 (-110)