The latest edition of the longstanding rivalry between Arizona and Arizona State is this mid-January Big 12 matchups featuring two teams in very different positions. The Wildcats are the cream of the crop in college basketball this season while the Sun Devils are just trying to stay afloat in this conference. Could we be in for some sort of massive surprise on Wednesday night?
The recent trend hasn’t been great for Arizona State (10-6), but things could definitely be worse for Bobby Hurley’s squad. This new-look lineup played Gonzaga closer than expected and won over Texas before Thanksgiving, but this team recently dropped four straight games including back-to-back at home to Oregon State and Colorado. The Sun Devils got back in the win column over the weekend with Kansas State but their defense and long-range shooting remain big issues.
It’s hard to find issues with Arizona (16-0), as the Wildcats continue their perfect start to the season and remain the #1 team in the nation. They’ve proven that they belong in this position with great wins over Alabama, UConn, Florida, and several other teams along that start. They’ve gotten Big 12 play off to a solid start, including last weekend’s double-digit win over TCU.
Arizona State vs. Arizona: When and Where
Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026, 10:30 pm ET
Location: McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Arizona
Arizona State vs. Arizona: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: FS1
Streaming: FuboTV
Arizona State vs. Arizona: Betting Odds
Spread: Arizona -21.5, Arizona State +21.5
Moneyline: Arizona -3333, Arizona State +2000
Total: 169.5
Arizona State vs. Arizona: Series History
All-time series: Arizona leads 164-88
Last meeting: Arizona 113, Arizona State 100 (March 4, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Arizona State Sun Devils
Moe Odum (16.4 ppg, 6.4 apg)
Anthony Johnson (14.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
Massamba Diop (14.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg)
Santiago Trouet (7.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg)
Allen Mukeba (6.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg)
Arizona Wildcats
Koa Peat (14.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
Brayden Burries (14.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Jaden Bradley (13.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.6 apg)
Motiejus Krivas (11.1 ppg, 8.4 rpg)
Ivan Kharchenkov (8.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Arizona has won eleven straight games by double figures and sit comfortably at home as their in-state rivals come to Tucson. The Sun Devils need the 3-pointers to fall but that just hasn’t happened at in these last five games. Arizona’s offense is extremely elite, with those two great freshmen in Peat and Burries carrying the load while that frontcourt bullies people at times. It’s hard to see what Arizona State can realistically do to slow down that multi-faceted offensive attack. Anything can happen in this sport, but this is a huge hole to climb out of and the Sun Devils desperately need a fast start and elite shooting to have a chance in this one.
Can we see any semblance of a miracle for Arizona State and a legendary performance against their bitter rival? Does this extremely talented Wildcats team roll to another big win and continue this unbeaten start to their season?