The BYU Cougars take on the Arizona State Sun Devils. Check out our college basketball odds series for our BYU Arizona State prediction and pick. Find how to watch BYU Arizona State.

The BYU Cougars are off to a very good start this season. Last season, they really stumbled in the nonconference portion of their schedule, eating some really bad losses which wrecked their resume and dramatically lowered their ceiling. This season, BYU has already beaten San Diego State, last season's national runner-up. Coach Mark Pope has to like what he has seen with his team, which has been solid at both ends of the floor and has made substantial improvements over the course of the offseason.

Arizona State has struggled, but the Sun Devils still know how to scratch and claw for close, ugly wins under coach Bobby Hurley. Those not-very-pretty wins still look good on a piece of paper. Beating UMass-Lowell after trailing by 10 gave ASU a much-needed dose of confidence and relief. The Sun Devils avoided what would have been a very bad loss and gained a measure of stability in the still-young season. ASU was blitzed by Mississippi State early in the season, but the Bulldogs look like an NCAA Tournament team. That was less a bad loss and more a missed opportunity to improve the resume. Against BYU, Arizona State will need to rack up a good win and begin building a portfolio which can be taken seriously by the selection committee in late February and early March.

This game is in Las Vegas. The listed tip time is 12:30 a.m. Eastern, 9:30 p.m. Pacific, but this game follows the NC State-Vanderbilt game in the same arena, so the tip will be 30 minutes after the Wolfpack and Commodores end their game.

Here are the BYU-Arizona State College Basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

College Basketball Odds: BYU-Arizona State Odds

BYU Cougars: -10.5 (-102)

Arizona State Sun Devils: +10.5 (-120)

Over: 142.5 (-115)

Under: 142.5 (-105)

How To Watch BYU vs Arizona State

Time: 12:30 am ET / 9:30 pm PT (30 minutes after the end of NC State-Vanderbilt game)

TV: ESPN2

Stream: fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why BYU Could Cover the Spread

A team which can beat San Diego State (and comfortably, too!) is a good team. BYU looks balanced in terms of offensive and defensive acumen and in terms of inside-outside complementary play. Everyone on this roster who suffered through last season has come back hungry and determined to be a lot better, and it shows.

Arizona State is a hard-working team, but the Sun Devils consistently struggle to find offense under coach Bobby Hurley. ASU lacks the depth of scoring punch and the elite performers which can make the difference at the offensive end of the floor. If you're looking for a team which can put BYU's defense in trouble, this ASU team is not one you would choose.

Why Arizona State Could Cover the Spread

The Sun Devils might not be a good offensive team, but they're a very good defensive team. Bobby Hurley coaches defense and effort extremely well. Many people will say that a coach should never have to teach effort, but that's just not true. Coaches do have to explain and illustrate to their players exactly why effort matters, and how to get the most out of their abilities. On defense, Arizona State gets the most out of its resources. With the spread being very large, Arizona State should be able to keep this game close on defense, turning the game into the kind of street fight Bobby Hurley likes. It might not be enough to win outright, but it should be enough to cover.

Final BYU-Arizona State Prediction & Pick

Early in the season, if you don't have a strong feel for how good teams are, stay away from the games they play and just try to gather information. This is one such game.

Final BYU-Arizona State Prediction & Pick: Arizona State +10.5