The Big 12 will be featured on Monday night as the No. 1-ranked Arizona Wildcats (20-0, 7-0 Big 12) head north to face the No. 13-ranked BYU Cougars (17-2, 5-1 Big 12) inside the Marriott Center.
Arizona has faced a who’s-who of college basketball this season. The Wildcats have defeated five AP Top 20 teams this season, including a pair of 20-plus point victories over Auburn and Alabama.
The Cougars have faced three AP Top 25 opponents thus far, going 1-2 in those matchups. In November, BYU dropped an 86-84 decision to UConn. And just nine days ago, Texas Tech defeated the Cougars 84-71 in a Big 12 matchup.
Can the Wildcats stay undefeated with their sixth victory over a ranked team? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with our top three player props for Monday’s game.
BYU Cougars’ A.J. Dybantsa UNDER 23.5 Points
BYU has one of the country’s best players in freshman A.J. Dybantsa. The 6-foot-9 forward is second in the country, averaging 23.6 points per game. He’s also contributing 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Cougars this season.
On Saturday, Dybantsa had his highest-scoring game, pouring in 43 points in a 91-78 victory over Utah. That came off his 13 point performance against Texas Tech, however. Arizona is certainly stronger than Utah, and that’s why bettors should expect him to be held below his season-scoring average on Monday.
Arizona Wildcats’ Koa Peat OVER 20.5 Pts + Rebs
Freshman Koa Peat is among the nation’s best players, scoring a team-best 14.7 points while grabbing 5.9 rebounds per contest. The 6-foot-8 athlete had a pair of strong outings last week, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds against Cincinnati and WVU.
He’s shown incredible growth this season, posting a 30-point, five-rebound performance against Florida while also notching an 18-point, five-board showing against Alabama. Expect him to have another big-time performance against Dybantsa, finishing with at least 21 combined points and rebounds on Monday.
BYU Cougars’ Richie Saunders To Record 3 Or More 3-PT Field Goals (-114)
Senior Richie Saunders is making a name for himself. The 6-foot-5 guard is among the country’s best at shooting three-pointers, having made 50 of his 128 attempts from that range this season.
He’s been accurate against the best competition this season. He went 5-for-9 against Wisconsin earlier this season. And last week, he finished 3-for-7 from downtown against Texas Tech. That’s why bettors should take Saunders to finish with at least three treys on Monday night, covering this prop wager total.
Best Bet: OVER 165.5 Points
Is Arizona due for an upset? Just 10 teams since the turn over the century have started with more than 20 straight wins. The Wildcats can become the 11th team to add their name to that list with a victory on Monday night.
Still, even oddsmakers are concerned that Arizona can withstand BYU’s hostile home environment. The Cougars began as 3.5-point underdogs, but public money has pushed that spread even closer ahead of this highly-anticipated Big 12 matchup.
What is certain is that both the Wildcats and Cougars can score. Arizona is currently 12th in the nation, pouring in 89.8 points per contest. BYU is 22nd, averaging just over 86 points per outing. That’s why bettors should expect a high-scoring contest that exceed the 165.5-point mark set by oddsmakers.
The smartest 5 minutes in betting
Get the week's best offers, line moves, and data-driven picks — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Join 240,000+ subscribers. 21+ only.
