Arizona State vs Arizona Headlines Thursday College Hoops Action
There is nothing better than a good in-state rivalry. Unless it’s a good in-state rivalry between two good teams, and that is what we have tonight when the Arizona State Sun Devils visit the top ranked and unbeaten Arizona Wildcats. The Sun Devils come into the game at 13-4 and 2-2 in the PAC 12 while the Wildcats are 17-0 and 4-0 in PAC 12 play. ASU could really use a big win and it would be tough to get a bigger one than on the road at Arizona. A win tonight would really be a boost to their tournament chances. But they are coming off a 15 point drubbing at the hands of the UCLA Bruins 87-72, a team the Wildcats beat earlier in the week.
The Wildcats come in off a rare sweep of a back to back in Los Angeles, a city that has been rough on them in recent seasons. They beat the Bruins 79-75 and then thumped the USC Trojans 73-53 to run their record to a school best ever start at 17-0. The only thing that might possibly trip the Wildcats up would be that the 24th ranked Colorado Buffaloes are next on the schedule. But the Sun Devils are a big rival, so that isn’t likely.
Beside the Sun Devils and Wildcats, there are some other good ones on tap for Thursday night. The Bruins will visit Colorado to take on the Buffaloes. That is a big game for two NCAA hopefuls from the PAC 12. We also have a big AAC game between the UConn Huskies and the Memphis Tigers. The Huskies come into the game 13-3 and 1-2 in the AAC. They do not want to fall to 1-3. The Tigers are 12-3 and 3-1 in the AAC. They have one big conference win over the Louisville Cardinals already. Another one over the Huskies would be huge.
The Cardinals will host the Houston Cougars tonight. These two schools met in one of the Final Four’s most memorable games in the National Semifinals in 1983. The Cougars are no longer a national power, but a win over Louisville could get them headed back in the right direction. At 10-6, they really need a signature win or two.
In the Big Ten we have the #11 Ohio State Buckeyes trying to stop a two game slide at the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers nearly pulled off a shocker in their last game, taking the Michigan State Spartans to overtime in East Lansing. Ohio State better come ready to play or they could be looking at a three game skid.
Carbon Sports has the odds on tonight’s games:
Houston at Louisville– Houston is +17 -110 and Louisville is -17 -110 ATS. We hate to give a team 17 points in a 40 minute game. So we are going with Houston +17 -110.
UConn at Memphis– UConn is +6 -110 and the Tigers are -6 -110 ATS. Moneyline is Huskies + and Memphis -290. We like Memphis to cover so take the Tigers -6 -110.
UCLA at Colorado– UCLA is +1 -110 and Colorado is -1 -110 ATS. Moneyline is UCLA Even and the Buffs -120. We like UCLA Even with Colorado without Spencer Dinwiddie.
Ohio State at Minnesota– Ohio State is -3.5 -110 and the Gophers are +3.5 -110 ATS. Moneyline is the Buckeyes -170 and Minnesota +150. We like the Gophers to beat the spread at home. Take Minnesota +3.5 -110.
Arizona State at Arizona– The Sun Devils are +14 -110 and the Wildcats are -14 -110 ATS. Moneyline is ASU +800 and Arizona -1300. We like the Sun Devils +14 -110. After all this is a rivalry game and the Sun Devils will be fired up. But take Arizona -1300 to win the game.
