The BYU Cougars will be on the road to take on the No. 19 Arizona Wildcats in the second game of this season series. Just 18 days ago, the Wildcats came out with an 11-point victory on BYU’s home floor.
Will the Cougars return the favor and come away with a win in Tucson, or will Arizona notch their 13th conference win and stay in sole possession of second place in the Big Ten?
Find out below as we make a prediction and break down the spread, total, and money line bets for this highly anticipated rematch.
BYU vs. Arizona Betting Preview
All BYU vs. Arizona odds are from Fanduel Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
- Spread
Arizona -7.5 - Moneyline
Arizona -310, BYU +245 - Over/Under
154.5 points - Game Time
Saturday, Feb. 22, 20:00 p.m. ET - Location
McKale Memorial Center | Tucson, AZ - How To Watch
ESPN
BYU is 15-11 ATS this season, with a 9-6 ATS record in conference play. In eight road games, they’ve only covered three times. But as part of their three-game winning streak, they’ve covered three in a row.
The Cougars play at an up tempo pace, averaging 80.2 ppg. 14 of their 26 outings have gone over the listed point total, including eight of 15 in Big 12 matchups. The over has been the successful play in four of their last five.
Arizona also brings a 15-11 overall record ATS into this contest, including 10-6 ATS in Big 12 play. As a home favorite — as they are in this game — they’re 8-4 ATS.
Similar to BYU, slightly higher than half of their games have gone over the point total (14 of 26). The Wildcats are also getting up and down the court, pouring in 81.0 ppg. In conference, 9 of 16 outings have reached the over. However, the under has been the most successful play lately, as Arizona has been averaging only 67.3 ppg over their last three games.
BYU vs. Arizona CSN Power Rankings Line
The line of Arizona -7.5 is likely too high, considering where these teams are placed in our power rankings.
The Wildcats hold the No. 8 spot, while the Cougars are at No. 15 despite not being ranked in the AP Poll Top-25. Although the game is on Arizona’s home court, our rankings indicate that the line is too high and would be properly placed around -5.5 or -4.5.
Preview for BYU vs. Arizona
Both teams have 18-8 overall records, but Arizona has a 12-4 conference record — good for second in the Big 12 — while BYU holds a 9-6 conference record, fifth best in the league.
MORE: SEC Tournament Projections
This will be the second matchup between these two squads, the first being an 85-74 Wildcats win in Provo, UT. The score was knotted at 41 at the half before Arizona pulled away for an 11-point victory.
BYU, led by leading scorer Richie Saunders, will be looking to avenge the loss and get back at Arizona on the road. Saunders has been terrific this season, averaging 15.2 ppg on 50.9% from the field.
Freshman point guard Egor Demin runs the show, averaging a team-high 5.5 apg along with 10.8 ppg. His passing creativity and ability to find others are a huge reason why he’s considered a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Over his last two games, however, the native of Moscow, Russia, has only scored 12 points. He’ll need to be more aggressive against Arizona.
Senior guard Trevin Knell has the ability to turn a game with his three-point shooting ability. Junior guard Dallin Hall has played well in the past two games, amassing 26 points and 11 assists in 23.5 mpg. If he can provide the Cougars with more good minutes against the Wildcats, he may be the guy to push them over the top.
That task won’t be easy. Arizona is fifth-year senior guard Caleb Love, who pours in 15.8 ppg, grabs 4.4 rpg, and distributes 3.3 apg. Two other guards, Jaden Bradley and K.J. Lewis, average in double figures scoring. However, both scored in single figures in their last outing.
Four more Wildcats average 8.0 ppg or higher, highlighted by 6’8″, 250-pound junior forward Tobe Awaka. The New York native leads the team with 7.9 rpg along with 8.1 ppg down low.
The offensive well dried up for BYU in the final 10 minutes of their last matchup — they’ll be looking to keep up with the Wildcats this time around.
Best Bets and Final Score Prediction
The projected final score of this game is 81-74, not far off from the 85-74 final in their first meeting. That previous score went over the scoring total — but that was when Arizona was themselves offensively.
As mentioned, they’re averaging only 67.3 ppg over their last three outings. Take the under of 154.5 points, as I don’t expect this to be the game that the Wildcats break out of their scoring slump.
Although Arizona won their last game, a seven-point victory over the Baylor Bears, they lost two games in a row prior to that.
Meanwhile, BYU is on a three-game winning streak and is riding high after a 91-57 beatdown of the Kansas Jayhawks on Tuesday night at home. My expectation is that they’ll carry that momentum into McKale Memorial Center — a tough environment but nothing the Cougars can’t handle.
BYU +245 for the money line is solid value, especially considering only seven spots separate these teams in our power rankings.
If you’re not willing to pick the Cougars outright, BYU +7.5 also holds solid value, considering they’ve covered three in a row, while Arizona has only covered once in their past three games.
KEEP READING: Big Ten Tournament Projections
Arizona is second in the Big 12 — but will suffer their fifth loss in conference play to the Cougars, who will continue their win streak and notch a 10th league win.
Picks: Under 154.5 Points, BYU ML (+245), BYU +7.5
Prediction: BYU 78, Arizona 73
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