Houston vs Arizona State Prediction and Preview

Read more a full Houston vs Arizona State prediction.

No. 5 Houston travels to Tempe to take on Arizona State for their first ever Big 12 meeting. It will be a matchup between teams on opposite ends of the Big 12 standings. The Cougars sit atop it, only losing once in the slate. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils sit second to last in the Big 12, going 3-11 against conference foes.

General Information:

Teams: No. 5 Houston (21-4, 13-1 Big 12) and Arizona State (12-13, 3-11 Big 12)

Tip Time: 9 p.m. EST

Watch: ESPN2

Listen: KPRC 950

Latest on Houston basketball:

The Cougars moved up one spot in the AP poll to No. 5 after a big time win at No. 19 Arizona in the McKale Center 62-58. This was the first victory in Tucson since the 1967 season. Junior point guard Milos Uzan put up 19 points and five assists. Uzan leads the Big 12 and is ranked third nationally with a 4.36 assist-turnover ratio. This was Houston’s 11th straight road win going back to last season, which is the nation’s longest active streak and longest Big 12 road winning streak in conference history.

Graduate guard LJ Cryer leads UH with 14.3 points per game and leads Houston and the Big 12 with his 41% shooting from three. Houston has won 17 of their last 18 games entering this contest and will look to keep the momentum going heading back to Arizona. With Saturday’s win, senior forward Ja’Vier Francis competed in his 100th win of his UH career, the sixth player in program history to reach that mark.

While junior guard Emanuel Sharp put up 0 points vs Arizona, the sharpshooter will look to bounce back vs the Sun Devils. Overall, the Cougars are looking to stay on top of the Big 12 conference with the back end of the schedule presenting ranked opponents.

H0uston head coach Kelvin Sampson gave praise to Arizona State freshman forward Jayden Quaintance, who most likely will be out for the game.

“He’s probably further ahead defensive rebounding wise than offense. He’s gifted and jumped on film with his length and athleticism. He’s got a chance to be special,” Sampson said.

Houston and Arizona State are tied in the all time series 3-3, with the series at Tempe also tied at 1-1. This will be the first matchup between the programs since 1986. The Cougars won the most recent meeting on the road and will look to take the series lead.

Latest on Arizona State basketball:

The Sun Devils continue to suffer in conference play, dropping their sixth consecutive home game 74-70 to TCU on Saturday night. They were once again shorthanded without freshman forward Jayden Quaintance and played most of the second half without redshirt senior guard Adam Miller, who was ejected after insulting a referee.

Each close defeat has led to a drop of morale within the team. The players have stopped responding to Bobby Hurley, as they did not want their head coach to talk to them postgame.

“What do you want me to say at this point is some of the comments that I’ve got from my own players,” Hurley told reporters after the game. “I think they’re fairly frustrated, they haven’t been able to close these games out…I think we’re all at premium frustration level at this point.”

The defeat came a couple days after Arizona State athletic director Graham Rossini denied rumors that Hurley was on the hot seat. Rossini also added that the program will “keep pouring every bit of energy” into the basketball teams.

Four Sun Devils landed in double figures on Saturday night, with senior guard/forward BJ Freeman leading the way with 21 points. Senior guard Alston Mason and junior center Shawn Phillips Jr. followed with 12 points. Senior forward Basheer Jihad posted 11 points in his fifth double figure day in the past six games.

Despite the losses, Sampson praised the Sun Devils earlier this week during his media availability.

“Bobby (Hurley’s) done a good job at recruiting kids that can really score, really athletic, good length,” he said. “They’re so quick and athletic. They get you going up and down the floor. I think it’s important that when you play a team that’s this talented and this athletic that you make sure you have the game going the way you want to play.”

Houston vs Arizona State prediction: Cougars by 14 (85-71)

Despite Sampson’s comments on Arizona State’s athleticism, The Sun Devils will most likely be without Quaintance as he rehabs from his ankle injury. Tuesday’s home side already has experience hosting a top five opponent, in a 76-61 loss to then-No. 3 Iowa State on Jan. 25. The margin of victory should be similar, as the Cougars ready for two Top 10 contests after their trip to Tempe.