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Grand Canyon vs Arizona State Odds, Lines and Spread (Dec. 9)

Robert Duff

by Robert Duff in College Basketball

Updated Dec 9, 2021 · 4:04 AM PST

Arizona State forward Kimani Lawrence getting ready to shoot
Arizona State forward Kimani Lawrence (4)during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Washington State, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
  • The Arizona State Sun Devils are 4.5-point home favorites over the Grand Canyon Antelopes in an NCAA men’s basketball scheduled for Thursday, December 9
  • At 8-1 on the season, the Antelopes have won five games in a row
  • The Sun Devils are just 3-6 for the 2021-22 campaign

One point was the margin of victory when the Arizona State Sun Devils defeated the Grand Canyon Antelopes a year ago. Arizona State’s 71-70 victory at GCU Arena came in the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the NCAA hardwood.

They’ll renew the rivalry on Thursday and again, oddsmakers are anticipating that it will be the hometown Sun Devils who will emerge victorious. Arizona State is being established as the 4.5-point favorites in this game. The Antelopes are 5-3 against the spread this season.

Grand Canyon vs Arizona State Odds

Team Moneyline Spread Total
Grand Canyon Antelopes +150 +4.5 (-110) O 130.5 (-110)
Arizona State Sun Devils -182 -4.5 (-110) U 130.5 (-110)

Odds as of December 8th at BetMGM.

Tipoff is set for 9:30pm ET at Desert Financial Arena. The Pac-12 Network is carrying the broadcast.

Arizona State Sun Devils Betting Trends

Following three successive 20-win campaigns, the Sun Devils fell to 11-14 last season. From that squad, top scorers Remy Martin, Alonzo Verge and Josh Christopher all departed. A drop-off was to be expected but no one saw the Sun Devils going off a cliff.

At 3-6 on the season, Arizona State is 2-5 over the past seven games. The Sun Devils were limited to under 30 points in an embarrassing 51-29 loss to the Washington State Cougars.

Sophomore guard DJ Horne (13.1 points per game), graduate student guard Kimani Lawrence (11.1) and sophomore forward Marcus Bagley (10.0) are all hitting for double-digit scoring averages so far this season. However, Bagley is currently idled by a knee injury. Lawrence is leading the club in rebounds (8.9).

Horne (25-of-57, 43.9%) and sophomore guard Jay Heath (10-of-21, 47.6%) are the top 3-point shooters for the Sun Devils. Junior guard Alonzo Gaffney leads team with 14 blocks. Graduate student guard Marreon Jackson’s 4.4 assists per game is a team best. He’s shooting 361-of-436 (.828) at the free throw line.

Grand Canyon Antelopes Betting Trends

The defending WAC champion Antelopes will be seeking to extend their current winning streak to six games. Grand Canyon’s only loss so far this season was a 68-61 setback to Wyoming. Their 8-1 mark is the best start in the school’s D-I history.

Senior guard Holland Woods (13.4 points per game), senior forward Gabe McGlothan (9.7), senior guard Sean Miller-Moore (7.6) and senior forward Taeshon Cherry (6.6) are collectively accounting for 46% of all Grand Canyon scoring this season. That’s including 50% of the team’s points over the past five games. Junior guard Jovan Blacksher Jr has hit 31 field goals and 26 assists over the past five games. Blacksher is leading the team in scoring (16.1 ppg).

Both Woods and Cherry are ex-Sun Devils who’ve crossed town to play for the Antelopes. Grand Canyon is suiting up seven players shooting 38.1% or better from beyond the arc, led by Blacksher (42.6%).

Antelopes vs Sun Devils Prediction

Is this a good sign for the Sun Devils? Posting their first-ever win at Matthew Knight Arena, Arizona State ended up working overtime for a 69-67 verdict at Oregon in the school’s most recent game. Defensively, Arizona State is holding opponents to a .415 field goal percentage this season.

Facing the WAC champion Antelopes is just the latest step in a gauntlet of tough early-season opponents for Arizona State. Grand Canyon is the seventh school Arizona State is facing that were 2021 NCAA Tournament participants. The Sun Devils have also faced defending national champion Baylor,  MWC champion San Diego State, Pac-12 champion Oregon and Sweet 16 schools Syracuse and Loyola-Chicago.

The decision in five of Grand Canyon’s games ended up coming down to seven points or fewer. Arizona State is 18-7 in two-possession games over the past two seasons. Grand Canyon’s defense is allowing just 58.4 points per game. That’s 24th in the country. Arizona State’s offense is scoring just 64.4 points. That’s ranking the Sun Devils 233rd among NCAA Division I teams.

Pick: Grand Canyon Antelopes +4.5 (-110)

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