The Arizona State Sun Devils take on the San Francisco Dons. Check out our college basketball odds series for our Arizona State San Francisco prediction and pick.

The Arizona State Sun Devils and Bobby Hurley are both loving life right now. ASU is 11-1 and enjoying a tremendous start to its season. The Sun Devils missed the NCAA Tournament the past few seasons but look like a definite March team right now. That's what happens when the wins keep accumulating and a team finds great chemistry and togetherness on the court. ASU has had more talented teams in recent seasons. Recall that guard Remy Martin was a Sun Devil who didn't experience a lot of success in Tempe under Hurley's watch. He transferred to Kansas and won a national championship. ASU doesn't have a brilliant Martin-level scorer, but the Sun Devils are more unified than past teams were. Previous Hurley teams came apart when the going got tough. Previous Hurley teams in the desert were unable to master late-game situations and play their best defense in the closing minutes. This team does all those things.

Arizona State trailed Creighton by six points late in regulation but then clamped down on defense and mounted a rally to beat the Bluejays one week ago. ASU has won close, tough games against Stanford, Colorado (down 15 at the half on the road in Boulder), Virginia Commonwealth, and in the season opener against Tarleton State, a rough game which might have been more significant than many people realize in shaping this team's confidence for the road ahead. Winning close games with defense is becoming a habit for this team. As a result, Bobby Hurley has just one loss. His brother Dan hasn't lost a game yet this season as the coach of the UConn Huskies, who are in the top three in the national rankings.

Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Arizona State-San Francisco College Basketball odds.

College Basketball Odds: Arizona State-San Francisco Odds

Arizona State Sun Devils: -2.5 (-120)

San Francisco Dons: +2.5 (-102)

Over: 142.5 (-110)

Under: 142.5 (-110)

Why Arizona State Could Cover the Spread

This team is so connected and cohesive at both ends of the floor, but especially on defense. If the game is close in the final minutes, this team reliably gets the big defensive stop. ASU is forming a winning identity by responding well to pressure and becoming comfortable in these late-game moments. There might not be much of a talent gap between ASU and San Francisco — or between the Sun Devils and most of the teams they play — but Arizona State has steadily been able to handle intense late-game situations with poise, resolve and calm. That really matters.

San Francisco is not nearly as consistent as Arizona State. The Dons suffered a classic “look-ahead” loss this past Monday, losing to Texas-Arlington as a 14.5-point favorite at home. The Dons were thinking about this game, and they were also coming off an emotional win over previously unbeaten UNLV on Saturday. Really good, disciplined teams don't lose those kinds of trap games. The Dons are unlikely to match ASU's toughness in big moments.

Why San Francisco Could Cover the Spread

The Dons clearly did look past Texas-Arlington, but that fact should make them a better pick to win, not a worse pick. In this game, you should see the Dons play with all the energy, focus and clarity they lacked against Texas-Arlington. This team just did defeat UNLV on the road in Las Vegas this past Saturday, using a stirring, late rally to win. San Francisco has Tyrell Roberts, a crafty and skilled scorer who averages 15 points per game, as a source of instant offense whenever the going gets tough versus Arizona State's formidable defense.

The other thing to point out here is that Arizona State is making a road trip to a mid-major conference. The Sun Devils have done this on a few other occasions this season. One of those times was against Texas Southern. The Sun Devils lost that game. San Francisco really needs this game, so the Dons will be motivated, but what also sets up well for San Francisco is Arizona State overextending itself on the schedule. This is a good letdown spot for ASU.

Final Arizona State-San Francisco Prediction & Pick

ASU is the tougher team, but San Francisco looked past Texas-Arlington to focus on this game. It's a tough call, probably so tough that you should pass and study these teams for the future.

Final Arizona State-San Francisco Prediction & Pick: Arizona State -2.5