NCAAB: #21 Washington State vs #4 Arizona Odds, and Picks (Feb 22)

• Washington State picked up their 7th straight win, beating Stanford 72-59.
• Arizona embarrassed Arizona State, winning 105-60, and climbing to 20-5.
• These two teams last met on January 13, in a game that Washington State won 73-70.

Selection Sunday is less than a month away! Let’s look at the upcoming clash between the Washington State Cougars and the Arizona Wildcats. The winner of this game will take over the top spot in the Pac-12.

How to Watch

• FS1

Preview

Washington State has been one of the hottest teams in college basketball over the past two months. They have gone from not even on the bubble to a projected 7-seed during that span. The Cougars enter this matchup having won 10 of their last 11 games, including a 3-point victory over Arizona. It’ll be a tougher task in the rematch on the road, but they can all but guarantee an at-large bid by sweeping the Wildcats.

Arizona remains projected as a 1-seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. They’ve been leading the Pac-12 for the majority of the season, but are at risk of losing their top spot to the Cougars if they lose this game. They have one of the best offenses in the country, which should be able to overwhelm even Washington State’s defense. The Wildcats have averaged 103 points per game over their last three games.

Prediction

Prior to January, this matchup wasn’t expected to be very competitive at all. Now, it’s a clash between the 20-5 Wildcats and the 20-6 Cougars, with the Pac-12’s top spot on the line. Despite their close records, Vegas is not quite sold on the Cougars yet, with Arizona entering this game as 12-point favorites. I do feel confident Arizona will win at home, but that’s a bad spread to bet on. I expect Washington State to cover.

NCAAB Picks:

• Arizona 81, Washigton State 73 )