The No. 16-seed Wright State Raiders (22-13) meet the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats (31-3) Friday night in a first-round South Region game. The game at Viejas Arena in San Diego is slated to tip off at 7:27 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Wright State vs. Arizona odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Wright State bounced Bryant in a First Four game Wednesday. The quick-tempo Raiders scored their most points in a single game since January with the 93-82 conquest. The win marked WSU’s sixth straight; the Raiders have shot 48% while getting to the line 22.7 times per game over that streak.
Arizona took care of business and closed out its Pac-12 Conference Tournament championship win over UCLA in impressive fashion. The Wildcats shot 51.9% from the floor and 50% from beyond the arc in the title game. Since Feb. 7, UA is 12-1 and shooting 52.4% from the field and 39.2% from distance. And despite that accurate shooting (and the fewer offensive rebounding chances), the No. 2 team in the nation has been dominating teams on the boards.
Rankings courtesy of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports.
Wright State vs. Arizona odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:02 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Wright State +1200 (bet $100 to win $1,200) | Arizona -4000 (bet $4,000 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Wright State +21.5 (-108) | Arizona -21.5 (-112)
- Over/Under (O/U): 156.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Wright State vs. Arizona odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Arizona 91, Wright State 67
Money line
PASS.
Against the spread
The Raiders are 0-4 ATS in their last four games after scoring more than 90 points in their previous game.
Wright State likes to generate offense in the paint, but Arizona is more-than well-equipped to handle that style of play. The Wildcats should get more than their fair share on the offensive boards.
Of course, the point spread is the great equalizer. In their last nine games lined as a favorite of 15 points or more, the Wildcats are just 2-7 ATS. But with Wright State traveling more-than halfway across country after a high-energy, emotional, hometown win Wednesday, ARIZONA -21.5 (-112) is worth consideration here.
Over/Under
These are two fast-paced teams. There isn’t much to work with here, but tag the OVER 156.5 (-110) with a slight lean. The talent disparity and styles of play are such that UA could muscle its way to some quick runs and the endgame minutes should be a meaningless exchange of relatively quick buckets.
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