Subscribe
Follow Us
The magic and unpredictability of the Pac-12 after dark will be in full display in this one as the Arizona State Sun Devils travel to the Bay Area to take on the Stanford Cardinal. Join us for an exclusive look at our College Basketball odds series where our Arizona State-Stanford prediction and pick will be unveiled.
Without a doubt, ASU has fallen on hard times after starting off so hot as the Sun Devils have gone down in defeat in five of their last six games and all of a sudden are in great jeopardy to miss out on March Madness play. At 16-8 including a 7-6 record in conference play, can Arizona State finish the season strong to make a case for postseason play?
Unlike the Sun Devils, the Cardinal have gelled nicely as the regular season has progressed as Stanford saw themselves win five in a row before being blownout in Boulder by Colorado 84-62. While their most recent loss was as ugly as it gets, Stanford is no longer in the cellar of the Pac-12 standings and are trending in a positive direction.
Here are the Arizona State-Stanford college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Arizona State-Stanford Odds
Arizona State: +2.5 (-102)
Stanford: -2.5 (-120)
Over: 138.5 (-110)
Under: 138.5 (-110)
How To Watch Arizona State vs. Stanford
TV: FS1
Stream: Fox Sports App
Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Arizona State Could Cover The Spread
It was only a few weeks ago when the Sun Devils appeared to be one of the teams to beat in the Pac-12 as they stormed out to a 15-3 overall record, but ASU has ran into a brick wall at full speed ever since. In fact, it almost seems that Arizona State can't get out of their own way as they are firmly stuck in quicksand that is only getting worse.
Despite the recent struggling plays on the hardwood, the Sun Devils' next four games are extremely winnable and could determine how the rest of the season plays out based on how they perform over the next couple weeks. Not to mention, but ASU has slew of playmakers on their floor that could spell trouble for Stanford in tonight's conference showdown. In fact, the Sun Devils' entire starting five is averaging double digits which makes it extremely difficult for defenses to slow them down. Even though this is impressive, ASU is only scoring 71 points per game and has struggled to find production on their bench all season long.
With the hopes that their starting lineup can carry the load offensively, another area of concern for ASU is on the glass. Throughout the course of their scuffling stretch, the Sun Devils have been out-rebounded in most contests and are giving up far too many second-chance points. At first glance, Stanford does have decent length down-low, so this will definitely be something to keep an eye on as this matchup progresses.
Why Stanford Could Cover The Spread
On paper, it appears that Stanford will need to capture the Pac-12 Tournament crown if they want any chance of going dancing come March. Regardless, the Cardinal have erased a poor 5-12 start and now sit with a 10-13 record as the final month of the regular season approaches.
There's no question that Stanford got punched in the mouth in a big way in the loss at Colorado, as their defense was nowhere to be found and their three-point shooting was not very effective by any means. In fact, it will be hard to play as poorly as Stanford played the last time they suited up for action as even a slightly improved effort in many statistical categories will do the Cardinal a huge favor.
When taking a closer glimpse at this matchup, it will prove to be vital for Stanford to remain aggressive by earning many trips to the charity stripe throughout the evening. Against the Buffaloes, the Cardinal did get to the free-throw line 15 times, but they only shot 60%. Since their three-point shooting attack is more streaky than not, driving to the rack and accumulating points in the paint and getting ASU in foul trouble should be a main priority for Stanford.
In addition, this isn't an offense that can afford to get into a shootout with the Sun Devils, so forcing turnovers and converting that into fast-break points could be a recipe for success. Truly, there isn't a whole lot that jumps out at you when glancing upon this Stanford squad, but the Cardinal has players like forwards Spencer Jones and Harrison Ingram that could fill up the stat sheet in a big way. Alas, these pair of scorers need to be at their best to guarantee Stanford with the spread-covering triumph.
Final Arizona State-Stanford Prediction & Pick
Arizona State heads into the Bay 0-7 in their last seven matchups against the spread, while Stanford is 5-1 ATS in their past six contests. Nevertheless, ASU's defense will keep them in this game as they boast the 39th-ranked defensive efficiency in the country which will end up keeping them in this game on the road.
Final Arizona State-Stanford Prediction & Pick: Arizona State +2.5 (-102)
