On Wednesday night, college basketball fans can look forward to a highly anticipated matchup in the Big 12 as the No. 4 ranked Arizona Wildcats host the No. 23 BYU Cougars. Arizona, which holds a record of 23-2 overall and 10-2 in the Big 12, recently dropped from the top position in the AP Poll following two consecutive losses, including a narrow overtime defeat to Texas Tech last Saturday, 78-75. Meanwhile, BYU (19-6, 7-5 Big 12) comes into the game riding a two-game winning streak, with star freshman AJ Dybantsa helping the Cougars secure a dramatic 90-86 overtime victory against Colorado in their previous outing. Historically, Arizona leads the series between the two teams with a 22-20 advantage.
The game is set to tip off at 9 p.m. ET at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats narrowly defeated the Cougars 86-83 in their earlier encounter this season on January 26. Arizona is currently favored by 11.5 points in the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, with the over/under for total points scored set at 162.5. Sports betting enthusiasts are advised to consider insights from the SportsLine Projection Model, which runs simulations for every college basketball game.
For those interested in betting, new users can take advantage of a promotional offer from DraftKings, which provides $200 in bonus bets if a qualifying bet of $5 or more wins. SportsLine’s advanced model has been on an impressive run, boasting an 11-1 record on top-rated over/under picks and a 13-7 record on side picks, suggesting various betting strategies based on extensive data.
The model highlights that the total points may not reach the predicted marks in this game. Arizona’s recent form has seen the team trending under, with three of its last four games failing to meet the total, as well as six out of its last eight contests. As the game takes place at home, Arizona has recorded four consecutive home games that have gone under the total points.
BYU faces a significant challenge with the season-ending injury to guard Richie Saunders, who was key to the Cougars’ offense, averaging 18 points per game, which placed him ninth in the conference. This absence could impact BYU’s scoring potential, as they may struggle to reach their typical averages against a resilient Arizona defense.
As the anticipation builds for this critical matchup, fans and bettors alike may find insights from SportsLine’s model invaluable. With millions of simulations run to predict the outcome, followers can gain access to strategic advice on which side of the spread could be the winning pick.