One of the most shocking results of the College Basketball season was Preseason No. 1 Kansas losing 91-57 at BYU, tied for the largest loss of the Bill Self era. But while all of the talk was about the Jayhawks, it overshadowed another impressive performance by the Cougars, who have won its last three games to get on the right side of the bubble.
They take on another good newcomer to the Big 12 in Arizona, tied for second in the standings at 12-3, coming off a 74-67 road win over Baylor to end a two-game skid. The Wildcats are two games behind Houston at the top of the standings, and while a regular-season title may be out of reach, they can still get the 2 seed and continue building a resume good enough for a top-5/6 seed in the Big Dance.
How to watch Arizona vs BYU
Date: Saturday, February 22
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Venue: McKale Memorial Center
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Streaming: fubo TV (link:)
Arizona record: 18-8
BYU record: 18-8
BYU vs. Arizona odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook (link: https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/ )
Moneyline
BYU +240
Arizona -300
Spread
BYU +7.5 (-115)
Arizona -7.5 (-105)
Total
153.5 (over -115/under -105)
BYU injury report
None
Arizona injury report
Motiejus Krivas F: Out (knee)
Arizona and BYU series history
Arizona all-time record vs. BYU: 21-19
BYU vs Arizona Prediction
This game could very well come down to the top guards on each team. Egor Demin (10.8 ppg and 5.5 apg) has had his ups and downs, but when he’s on, the Cougars can beat anyone. Only eight teams make more threes than then, and Richie Saunders (15.2 ppg on 43% 3PT) has been an all-league guy.
Meanwhile, Caleb Love (15.8 ppg) leads one of the top-scoring offenses in the Big 12, with six players averaging at least eight points per game. They may have the edge inside, with Henri Vesaar, Tobe Awaka, and a healthy Trey Townsend giving them consistent collective production. BYU’s frontcourt can’t really do that and on the road, it could make the difference Saturday night.