Houston Cougars vs
Arizona St. Sun DevilsPredictions & Preview

Houston Cougars Favored Over Arizona State Sun Devils in Conference Matchup by 11.5 Points, ESPN2 to Televise Game

The Houston Cougars will face the Arizona State Sun Devils in a matchup between two newly formed conference opponents. Houston, coming off a impressive road win against Arizona, is favored to win by 11.5 points according to the current betting line. Arizona State, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a recent loss to TCU. The game will be televised on ESPN2 with a tipoff time of 9:00 EST. Stay tuned for our prediction on this Houston vs. Arizona State contest.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cougars -670 | Sun Devils +478
• Spread: Cougars -11.5 (-110) | Sun Devils +11.5 (-110)
• Total: Over/Under 134 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Houston will win straight-up is 87%.

Houston vs Arizona St. Stats

Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars have been dominant in their recent games, with a four-game winning streak including a big road win against #13 Arizona. Led by top scorers Milos Uzan and L.J. Cryer, the team excels in perimeter shooting and defensive efficiency. Houston is currently at the top of the Big 12 standings with a 13-1 record and is ranked 3rd overall in KenPom rankings, projected to be a 2-seed in the NCAA Tournament. Offensively, they shoot well from the field and three-point range, while defensively they have strong stats in field goal percentage and three-point defense. With a power ranking of 47, Houston's impressive defense is a key factor in their success this season.

Arizona St. Sun Devils Analysis

The Arizona State Sun Devils are struggling in the Big 12, currently 3-11 in league play and ten games behind the conference leading Houston. Despite a recent loss to TCU, senior guard BJ Freeman has been a standout player, averaging 13.5 PPG. Alston Mason leads the team with 3.9 APG and also contributes 12.4 PPG. Basheer Jihad is their top frontcourt player, averaging 12.1 PPG and 5.8 RPG. Arizona State is ranked 61st overall in KenPom, with an offensive efficiency of 96th and defensive efficiency of 46th. They play at a faster pace than the Cougars, ranking 114th in pace of play. In order to advance to the Big Dance, Arizona State would need to win the Big 12 Tournament. On offense, the Sun Devils shoot an average of 43.97% from the field and 35.86% from three-point range. They average 35.63 rebounds per game and have a turnover average of 13.25. Defensively, they allow an average of 42.35% field goals and 76.19% free throws. They allow 30.90% of three-pointers made and grab 36.88 defensive rebounds per game.

Arizona State Favored Against Houston with Double-Digit Points

The upcoming matchup favors Arizona State, who is receiving double-digit points. The Sun Devils have a strong track record of performing well when faced with high spreads, evident in their recent matchups where they covered against Texas Tech, Cincinnati, and West Virginia. On the contrary, Houston has not consistently covered similar large spreads in their recent games against Colorado and Oklahoma State. Having already achieved a significant victory over Arizona, Houston is likely to approach this matchup with less intensity, potentially resulting in a closer game than expected. Furthermore, Houston's slower pace of play adds to the challenge of covering significant point differentials. Therefore, it is recommended to take Arizona State with the points in this game.

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