Arizona vs. Texas Tech college basketball predictions, picks, odds

The 24th ranked Arizona Wildcats visit the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a Big 12 matchup with some potential to drop a game as a ranked opponent on Saturday afternoon. The Red Raiders are 12-4 overall this season and 8-2 at home, while the Wildcats are 11-5. Arizona hasn’t been bad on the road this season going 2-1, but they are 1-3 in neutral-site games. This is Arizona’s first season in the Big 12 after dropping out of the Pac 12, meaning these teams haven’t played since 2012 and 2013, and Arizona won both games. This era of Texas Tech basketball is much different. It’s time to continue our college basketball odds series with Arizona-Texas Tech prediction and pick.

Arizona is on a seven-game winning streak, tying them for first place in the conference with Houston and Iowa. The three teams have identical 5-0 records since the start of Big 12 play. The Wildcats went through disappointing stretches in late November/early December, losing two of three games to UCLA and West Virginia. They were favorites in both games, which made the defeats even more upsetting. However, they bounced back nicely with huge performances at both ends of the pitch.

Texas Tech has had a few more losses lately and will disappoint Red Raiders fans that they all came when they were the favorites. We would look at this team a lot differently if they had won all of those games, as they would have gone on a big winning streak and tied for first place in the conference. However, they are now third in the Big 12 at 3-2, tied with four teams with that record.

Here’s Arizona-Texas Tech College basketball oddscourtesy of FanDuel

College basketball odds: Arizona-Texas Tech odds

Arizona: +4 (-110)

Moneilines: +150

Texas Tech: -4 (-110)

Moneiline: -180

Over: 151 (-110)

Under: 151 (-110)

How to watch Arizona vs. Texas Tech

Time: 2pm ET/11am PT

TV: ESPN2

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Why Arizona will cover the spread/win

Texas Tech’s defense will have a lot to say when it faces the No. 22 Arizona offense in this game. Arizona has an efficient group, shooting 48.8% from the field, but Texas Tech will be right there with them on defense. The Red Raiders don’t have the same national ranking as Arizona, but they are a respectable 50th with 66.1 points allowed per game. However, when you look deeper into the numbers, you’ll see that Arizona has much better metrics than Texas Tech, and with the Red Raiders allowing numbers of 41.3%, it’s hard to see how they rank so well in scoring defense.

Why Texas Tech will cover the spread/win

Arizona hasn’t been the same defensive team that we know it to be, and Texas Tech could use that in this game. Texas Tech is 23rd nationally in scoring offense, averaging 83.9 points per game. Arizona’s defense has fallen out of the top 100, allowing 68.6 points per game and owning one of the worst three-point defenses in the nation.

Final Technical Prediction and Arizona-Texas Pick

There isn’t much separating these teams. They have one loss that separates them in their win/loss record, 8-8 against the mark and a 6-4 mark against the differential in their last ten games. They even crossed a total of five times in those ten games.

When we look at this game, we see two offenses that are better than the opposing defense and two defenses that struggle to defend the three-point shot. It’s pretty clear what that can equate to, and that’s why we’re going over it.

Final Tech Prediction and Pick Arizona-Texas: Over 151 (-110)