The 2020-21 college basketball season is slowly heating up, and Week 2 already brings a marquee showdown in the Pac-12 Conference. The California Golden Bears host the Arizona State Sun Devils at Haas Pavilion at Berkeley, California, on Thursday, December 3, so I bring you the best betting pick and tips.
Back in February, the Sun Devils beat the Golden Bears 80-75 as 6-point road favorites with a total of 135 points. It was their fifth straight victory over California, while the under has hit in five of the previous six encounters between these two schools.
The Sun Devils look to extend their dominance in Berkeley
The Arizona State Sun Devils tipped off the 2020-21 CBB season with a 94-88 win over the Rhode Island Rams, but they suffered an 83-74 defeat to the Villanova Wildcats in the 2K Empire Classic. Last time out, the Sun Devils comfortably outlasted the Houston Baptist Huskies 100-77 but failed to cover a 37-point spread.
Freshman Josh Christopher showed some glimpses of quality in the opening week, averaging 18.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Remy Martin tallied 15.7 points and 3.7 assists, while Marcus Bagley recorded 15.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
The Sun Devils are No. 30 in the KenPom rankings. They are scoring 111.7 points per 100 possessions (11th in the nation) while yielding 93.3 to their opponents (68th).
The Golden Bears want to make it three in a row
The California Golden Bears opened the new season with a 71-63 defeat at the Oregon State Beavers, but they bounced back with a couple of wins over the arguably weaker opponents. The Bears easily defeated the Northwest University Eagles 86-61 and Nicholls Colonels 60-49.
They rank 122nd at the KenPom Rankings, and the Bears are scoring 99.4 points per 100 possessions (157th in the country) while surrendering 95.2 in a return (89th). California has averaged 69.4 possessions per 40 minutes thus far which is one the slowest paces in the country. Last season, the Bears had only 65.2 possessions per 40 minutes (315th in the country).
Matt Bradley leads the way for California with 19.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-4 junior guard dropped 26 points on Nicholls but also had seven turnovers. All other guys average points in single digits including Ryan Betley (9.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG) and Makale Foreman (8.7 PPG, 4.0 APG).
Trends:
Arizona State:
- 0-7-1 ATS in the last eight games overall
- 0-7 ATS in the last seven outings as favorites
California:
- 5-2 ATS in the last seven games against Arizona State
- 10-6 ATS in the last 16 outings at home
The Winner Prediction
The Sun Devils are a better team than the Golden Bears and will be listed as favorites around seven points, but keep tracking the odds on DraftKings, as you never know what can happen until the tip-off.
Arizona State possesses plenty of talented players on its roster, but the Sun Devils also lack experience. Theyโve had a lot of ups and downs through their first three games, so Iโm backing the Golden Bears to keep it close and cover.
The Sun Devils failed to cover in seven straight showings as favorites and are only 2-5 ATS in their previous seven matchups with the Golden Bears.
Pick: Take California Golden Bears and the points
The Total:
When it comes to the totals, this clash could easily go either way. While the Golden Bears prefer to slow down the tempo, the Sun Devils love to play at a fast pace. Through their first three showings this season, the Sun Devils have recorded a whopping 76.1 possessions per 40 minutes (11th in the country).
This is a tough wager, but I have to bet on the under. The hosts desperately need to force the Sun Devils into half-court basketball or will be in big trouble. Also, the Golden Bears look like a good defensive team, so I expect them to play physically and put some constant pressure on the ball.
Pick: Go under