The Arizona State Sun Devils and the Santa Clara Broncos meet Friday in college basketball action from Dollar Loan Center. Here’s a Santa Clara vs Arizona State prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Santa Clara vs Arizona State pick.
Arizona State Sun Devils Betting Preview
Last year the Sun Devils had a forgettable campaign, going 14-18 overall with an 8-12 run in Pac-12 play. Arizona State finished ahead of only Oregon State in the standings and would eventually fall to Utah in the first round of the Pac-12 Tournament to end their season.
In their first action of the 2024-25 season, the Sun Devils faced Idaho State. Arizona State posted a 31-20 edge in the first half and held on for the win 55-48. Alston Mason was the top team scorer on 14 points. BJ Freeman added 12 points with eight boards.
Santa Clara Broncos Betting Preview
Over on the Santa Clara side, they’re coming off a 20-13 run last year with a 10-6 showing in the West Coast Conference. The Broncos finished behind Saint Mary’s, Gonzaga and San Francisco in the standings. Their season ended in the semifinals of the conference tourney with a loss to Saint Mary’s.
Santa Clara took on Saint Louis in their first matchup of the season. The Broncos posted a 48-41 edge in the first half and kept the pace from there for an 85-78 victory. Adama Bak was tops in scoring with 24 points and four rebounds, while Camaron Tongue added 18 points and seven boards.
Why the Arizona State Sun Devils will win
- Santa Clara has lost three of its last four night games.
- Santa Clara has lost the first half in four of its last five night games.
Why the Santa Clara Broncos will win
- Santa Clara has won each of its last 11 Friday games against non-Conference opponents.
- Arizona State has lost each of its last six night games played at neutral venues.
- Arizona State has lost the first half in four of its last five night games against non-AP-ranked opponents at a neutral venue.
Santa Clara vs Arizona State Prediction
I might try Santa Clara here. The Broncos put together a pretty solid overall opening game versus St. Louis, shooting 42.4 percent from the field and 34.3 percent (12-of-35) from outside. Santa Clara notched a nice 17-of-20 (85 percent) from the line, as well as a 37-35 rebounding edge (15-9 offensive).
As for Arizona State, they didn’t shoot all that great in the win over Idaho State. The Sun Devils hit 36.4 percent from the floor and 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from 3-point range with an 8-of-12 (66.7 percent) result from the line. Arizona State also got outmuscled on the boards 46-44 (16-8 offensive), which could be a big opportunity for Santa Clara. I think the Broncos can cover/win if all goes well.