Arizona State Sun Devils vs BYU Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/31/24

Looking to win big? The Sun Devils and Cougars face off at 4:00 ET on ESPN2. The Cougars are hosting the game at Marriott Center in Provo, UT. This Big 12 conference matchup has an over/under of 148.5 points, and BYU is favored to win by -9.5 at home vs. Arizona State.

ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS VS BYU COUGARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Arizona State Sun Devils +9.5

This game will be played at Marriott Center at 4:00 ET on Tuesday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-72 in favor of the Cougars.
• Even though we have BYU winning straight-up, we like Arizona State at +9.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 148.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.

Can the Sun Devils Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?

Arizona State improved to 9-2 on the season with a 78-62 road win over UMass on Saturday. The Sun Devils, who were favored by 9.5 points, covered the spread, but the total points of 140 fell short of the 151.5 O/U line.

After trailing 33-31 at halftime, Arizona State turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring UMass 47-29 to secure the win.

Arizona State put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 45.2% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 51.6%, and they were efficient at the free-throw line, hitting 87.5% of their attempts.

Rahsool Diggins led the way with 24 points, connecting on 4 of 8 threes. Basheer Jihad added 20 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field, while Jayden Quaintance contributed 19 points and 11 boards.

Arizona State’s defense held their opponent to just 62 points, allowing them to shoot 38% from the field with a 23/60 performance. Inside the arc, they limited the opposition to 38% shooting, as they made 17 of their 44 two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, Arizona State gave up 6 threes on 16 attempts, with their opponent shooting 37% from deep. They also sent them to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 10 for 55%. Arizona State allowed 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Will BYU Find a Way to Win at Home?

BYU improved to 9-2 on the season with a dominant 103-57 win over Florida A&M on Friday. Playing at home, the Cougars entered the game as -33 favorites and covered the spread comfortably. The total points for the game reached 160, surpassing the O/U line of 147.5.

BYU took control early, leading 50-21 at halftime. They continued to dominate in the 2nd half, scoring 53 points while allowing 36.

BYU’s offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 103 points with a 54% shooting performance from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66.7%, thanks in part to their 44.1% shooting from beyond the arc, hitting 15 of 34 threes. Inside the arc, they connected on 65.5% of their two-point attempts.

The Cougars also excelled at the free-throw line, making 76.9% of their attempts (20/26), and dished out 25 assists as a team. Kanon Catchings led the way with 21 points on 8 of 12 shooting, including 4 of 7 from three-point range. Dallin Hall and Sterling Young each added 14 points, with Hall contributing 7 assists.

Despite giving up 57 points, BYU’s defense struggled, allowing their opponent to shoot 54% from the field, including 65% on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, the Cougars allowed 15 threes on 44% shooting. They also sent their opponent to the line 26 times, where they converted 20 free throws (76%).