Texas Tech vs. Arizona Prediction, Odds for College Basketball on Saturday, Feb. 14

The Arizona Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season on Monday night, falling to the Kansas Jayhawks by a score of 82-78.

They'll try to get back on track on Saturday when they host the Texas Tech Red Raiders, which is certainly no easy matchup for the Wildcats. The Red Raiders are 8-3 in conference play and the No. 16-ranked team in the country.

Let's take a look at the odds and my best bet for this marquee matchup in the Big 12.

Texas Tech vs. Arizona Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Texas Tech +9.5 (-105)
Arizona -9.5 (-115)

Moneyline

Texas Tech +420
Arizona -580

Total

OVER 157.5 (-110)
UNDER 157.5 (-110)

Texas Tech vs. Arizona How to Watch

Date: Saturday, February 14
Game Time: 6:30 pm ET
Venue: McKale Memorial Center
How to Watch (TV): ESPN
Texas Tech Record: 18-6 (8-3 in Big 12)
Arizona Record: 23-1 (10-1 in Big 12)

Texas Tech vs. Arizona Betting Trends

Texas Tech is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games
Texas Tech is 13-5 straight up in its last 18 road games
The UNDER is 7-0 in Texas Tech's last seven games played in February
Arizona is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games
The UNDER is 5-2 in Arizona's last seven games

Texas Tech vs. Arizona Key Player to Watch

JT Toppin, F - Texas Tech Red Raiders

Any time that Texas Tech takes the court, JT Toppin is going to be the most important player in the game. He's one of the best talents in college basketball and is leading the Red Raiders in points per game (21.5), rebounds per game (10.9), and blocks per game (1.7), while also averaging 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks. He is going to provide plenty of headaches for the Wildcats on Saturday.

Texas Tech vs. Arizona Prediction and Pick

Instead of betting on a side in this game, I'm looking toward the total and taking the OVER.

Both teams are inside the top 35 of college basketball in shooting, ranking 33rd and 35th in effective field goal percentages. More importantly than that, their offensive strengths line up with their opponent's defensive weaknesses. Texas Tech is a three-point shooting team, and Arizona ranks 60th in opponent three-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 31.4% from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Arizona attacks the interior of their opponents' defenses, and Texas Tech ranks 147th in opponent two-point field goal percentage, allowing teams to shoot 50.9% from two-point range.

Finally, Arizona ranks 23rd in the country in adjusted tempo, so I expect them to be able to push the pace and cause Texas Tech to play faster than the Red Raiders want to.

Pick: OVER 157.5 (-110)

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