#1 Arizona vs. #13 BYU Picks and Predictions: Top 15 Big 12 Showdown
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Update: Mon Jan 26, 2026, 2:21 pm ET
Read Time: 6 minutes
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Two teams near the top of the Big 12 standings go head to head tonight in this top 15 matchup in Provo, Utah. The top ranked Arizona Wildcats bring their 20-0 record into the Marriot Center against one of the best freshmen in all of college hoops, and likely the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft. Of course I'm talking about AJ Dybantsa and the No. 13 BYU Cougars, who are coming off a massive win in the Holy War where their stud put up 43 points. Can he recreate that magic again against the No. 1 team in the country? Let's get into our favorite picks and find out.
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Best Bet: Jaden Bradley (AZ) Under 0.5 Threes Made (+100) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
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#1 Arizona Wildcats vs. #13 BYU Cougars NCAA Basketball Insights
AJ Dybantsa and BYU host the top ranked Arizona Wildcats tonight
The Arizona Wildcats are one of three undefeated teams left in Division 1 hoops, as the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Miami (OH) Redhawks are both 20-0 as well. Could the Wildcats fall tonight? Those wins have not come easy, as the Wildcats are 12-8 against the spread while playing a top 50 schedule as well. It's also worth noting they are 5-1 ATS when dealing with single digit spreads, only failing to cover -9.5 against the UCF Knights (won by seven on the road).
But BYU looks very good as well. They've lost only twice, to UConn at TD Garden (covered the spread) and to Texas Tech in Lubbock, which is a very tough place to get a win, just ask the Houston Cougars. My problem with BYU is they are super limited on who puts the ball in the hoop, and against a very good defensive team like Arizona, they might need some bench players to step up.
Matchup Information – Arizona vs. BYU – January 26
- Venue & Location: Marriot Center (Provo, UT)
- Date: Monday, January 26, 2025
- Kick Off: 9:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: ESPN
Arizona vs. BYU Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of Lucky Rebel, one of our favorite online sportsbooks, as of January 26, 2025 at 10:36 a.m. eastern. Sign up today with and get a $1,250 deposit bonus, as well as 50 slot spins immediately. Lucky Rebel Sportsbook offers a wide variety of unique markets across nearly every sport imaginable.
Spread
- Arizona -1.5 (-111)
- BYU +1.5 (-109)
Moneyline
- Arizona -121
- BYU +100
Total
- Over 165 (-111)
- Under 165 (-109)
I missed betting BYU +3 when it opened, and as you can see, people are buying in on the hosts. Out of principle, I'll stay off, but I do think BYU has a chance to win this thing outright. However, I'll turn to a player prop that will likely be a full game sweat, and I'll warn you in advance, this guy only needs one shot to send us packing empty handed.
#1 Arizona vs. #13 BYU NCAA Basketball Picks and Predictions
Jaden Bradley scores 13.5 points per game for the Wildcats, but doesn't take very many shots from downtown
Arizona vs. BYU Prediction: BYU Wins Outright, Under 165
Best Bet: Jaden Bradley (AZ) Under 0.5 Threes Made (+100) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
We are betting on Jaden Bradley not making a single three in this game. Is he going to score? Absolutely. But it won't come from beyond the arc. For starters, the Arizona Wildcats are third worst in the country in 3P Rate. They simply do not take very many shots from downtown. All of their offense revolves around pick and rolls that get the guard going downhill towards the hoop. This team attacks the rim and isn't afraid of contact, and Bradley is one of those guys that handles the ball a lot of the time.
Now, this guy shoots over 45% from deep on his home court, but that number drops to 38.5% when on the road. Sure, that is still a great percentage, but he's not a volume guy from deep. He averages just 1.7 three point attempts per game this year, and while that number slightly increases away from home, we will only have to survive two shots from downtown (probably).
He has not made a three in four straight games. Sure, he's only attempted six during that stretch, but that just shows it's not a big part of his game. Bradley scored 23 against UCF while going 0-2 from beyond the arc, but he shot 13 free throws, leading the team in free throw attempts this season. He's only attempted four threes once this year, and only has three other games with three attempts from deep. As a team, the Wildcat's three point attempts and shooting percentage drastically drop off away from home, and tonight I see them attacking the rim, trying to get the Cougars in foul trouble early and earning some easy points at the free throw line.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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