Pac-12 powerhouse No. 5 Arizona (19-5, 10-3 in Pac-12) will play host to an Arizona State squad (13-12, 7-7 in Pac-12) looking to build off of a much-needed win over a spiraling Oregon State squad in Tempe. This is the first meeting between these two programs this season, with the second game to be played in Tempe in just 11 days.
Arizona matchup notes:
Arizona, coming off a fantastic road showing last weekend that saw them sweep the mountain schools who were previously undefeated at home, had a full week of rest to prepare for the first of two desert duels. They moved up three spots in this week's AP Poll to climb back into the top five and are catching fire at the perfect time.
The Wildcats are a deep team, with eight players on the roster having seen play time in each of Arizona's 24 games and the team shooting nearly 49% from the field. Caleb Love is averaging a career-high 18.9 points per game, and Oumar Ballo nearly averages a double-double with 13 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Pelle Larsson just had a career-high 27 points against Utah, too, and was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week for his efforts.
Arizona State matchup notes:
The Sun Devils, meanwhile, may still be feeling a little gassed from the second half rally just three days ago. This game couldn't come at a worse time for an Arizona State squad that's finally won back-to-back games after losing seven out of eight before that. The Sun Devils finally snapped the five-game losing streak with a pair of wins, but it'll take a stellar showing to topple Arizona.
The Sun Devils are led by Frankie Collins, who averages 13.7 points per game, and he's followed up by Jose Perez, who averages 12.9 points. As a team, Arizona State is shooting 42.3% from the field and just 30.6% from beyond the arc, neither of which is very impressive. However, the Sun Devils have stolen a win in Arizona's home as recently as last season when Arizona State stunned No. 7 Arizona with a 60-foot buzzer-beating heave from Desmond Cambridge Jr.
No. 5 Arizona and Arizona State postseason outlook
Arizona:
- Favorites to win the Pac-12 championship
- Current No. 1 seed in West Region in Joe Lunardi's bracketology
Arizona State:
- Currently sixth in the Pac-12 standings and could make some noise in the Pac-12 tournament
- Best case scenario is stealing an NCAA Tournament bid in the Pac-12 Tournament,
- Potential to be one of the last four in
How to watch No. 5 Arizona vs. Arizona State:
Date: Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024
Game start: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: McKale Center, Tucson, AZ
Network: FS1
Stream available: Yes, on FuboTV
How to bet on No. 5 Arizona vs. Arizona State
Betting partner: DraftKings
Line: Arizona -18.5
O/U: 158
Don’t forget to follow us at @ZonaZealots on Twitter, follow us at @ZonaZealotsFS on Instagram, and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of Arizona news, opinions, and recruiting updates!