The Apple Cup in the form of basketball will pit two arch-rivals with bragging rights on the line as the Washington State Cougars travel to battle with the Washington Huskies. Join us for our college basketball odds series where our Washington State-Washington prediction and pick will be made.
Currently in the midst of a five-game winning streak, the Washington State Cougars are hotter than the surface of the sun at the moment. Thanks to their lengthy winning ways, the Cougars now sit tied for seventh in the conference standings with an overall record of 15-15 (10-9).
With almost an identical record at 16-14, the Huskies still sit behind the Cougars when it comes to the Pac-12 Standings as they have put together a rather below-average 8-11 record up to this point. Regardless of this team's shortcomings, Washington has won three of their previous five games overall.
Here are the Washington State-Washington college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Washington State-Washington Odds
Washington State: -1.5 (-110)
Washington: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 134.5 (-110)
Under: 134.2 (-110)
How To Watch Washington State vs. Washington
TV: ESPNU
Stream: WatchESPN
Time: 11:00 ET/8:00 PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Washington State Could Cover The Spread
Sneakily enough, Washington State has quietly become one of the more red-hot teams in all of the Pac-12 thanks to a defensive presence that has been felt all around the league. After sweeping the Bay Area schools last weekend, the Cougars held both Cal and Stanford to an average of 59 points total as Wazzu's defense was absolutely spectacular.
While another repeated effort on the defensive end of the court could be a big reason why Washington State could cover, the Cougars still need to bring their A-game offensively, especially in a hostile environment. On paper, the Cougars only average 67 points per game which rank as one of the lowest marks in the Pac-12. In fact, Washington State has only scored at least 70 points only once in their last five games. Clearly, this cannot be a recipe for success against a UW team that will be motivated to down their rivals.
With that being said, Washington State will need their top scorers to put on a show in front of what most likely will be close to a sold-out crowd at Alaska Airlines Arena. If there is one name that can put up points in a hurry, it will come in the form of guard T.J. Bamba and forward Mouhamed Gueye who are both capable scorers from beyond the perimeter and in the paint. Even if one of these top-scoring options is slightly off for the Cougs later this evening, then covering the spread will prove to be a difficult one.
Why Washington Could Cover The Spread
If there is anything that the Huskies have going their way in tonight's bout, it is the fact that the Washington home crowd will be rowdy and raucous. With a 12-5 record at home this season, there is no doubt that having a home-court advantage in this one will be vital especially in the closing moments if this matchup turns out to be a barn burner from the opening tip.
Outside of the fact that the Huskies certainly will be energized by their home fans, the biggest thing for Washington bettors to keep their eyes on will be if this defense can hold the Cougars at bay from the three-point line. Believe it or not, Washington State is connecting on 36% of their three-point attempts as even though they have been rather lackluster most of the season, this is an area that could spell trouble for the Huskies. Alas, Washington has dropped five of seven games in this Apple Cup rivalry and the last thing they want to happen is for Washington State to catch fire from deep.
Nevertheless, Washington definitely knows how to send shots back defensively with authority. When taking a closer look, the Huskies lead the conference with 5.4 blocks per game as they know how to get after-shot attempts with their undisputed length. By forcing the Cougars into low-percentage shots and even forcing a healthy amount of giveaways, Washington can then jolt their often underwhelming offense with some easy buckets in transition off of those same turnovers.
Final Washington State-Washington Prediction & Pick
As much of a toss-up, as this one appears to be, the Huskies may boast the top overall player on the court in forward Keion Brooks and his 17 points per game. If Brooks is feeling it with his shot from the opening tip, then it could be game over for the Cougars especially considering that Washington possesses the all-important home-court advantage.
Final Washington State-Washington Prediction & Pick: Washington +1.5 (-110)
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