Utah State vs BYU Picks and Odds (Dec. 8)
- #24 BYU is a 7.5-point home favorite over Utah State on Wednesday night
- The Cougars and Aggies will be playing for the 236nd time
- A look at the odds and matchup can be found below with a prediction
One of the most-played series in college basketball is on tap when Utah State visits #24 BYU at 9:00 pm ET, Wednesday, at the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah.
The in-state rivals will be playing for the 236th time.
Utah State (6-2/0-0 road) lost a heartbreaker to Saint Mary’s 60-58 last Thursday to end the Aggies’ six-game winning streak. BYU (7-1/4-0 home) won 74-68 at Missouri State on Saturday after falling in overtime at Utah Valley in its previous game, which was the Cougars’ first loss of the season.
BYU is the favorite in a game that will be shown on BYUtv.
Utah State vs BYU Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah State | +245 | +7.5 (-114) | Over 136.5 (-110) |
| BYU | -310 | -7.5 (-106) | Under 136.5 (-110) |
Odds as of December 8th at FanDuel.
Utah State Outlook
Utah State fell in its last game when Saint Mary’s Alex Ducas made two free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining to break a 58-58 tie.
Utah State senior forward Justin Bean again led the way with his fourth straight double-double and seventh in eight games this season. He had 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and four steals.
Justin Bean is on FIRE.
pic.twitter.com/ng23vpjFVA— Barstool Bench Mob (@stoolbenchmob) December 3, 2021
Bean is fourth in the nation at 22.5 points a game and his 12.6 rebounding average is third. He is also dishing 2.6 assists and making 2.0 steals a game.
Senior forward Brandon Horvath is proving to be a fine complement to Bean after following first-year Aggies coach Ryan Odom from Maryland-Baltimore County. Horvath has averages of 13.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
Senior guard Brock Miller is scoring 9.8 points a game.
Junior guard Rylan Jones is scoring at a 9.5 clip while also averaging 5.4 assists and 1.5 steals. Jones transferred from Utah after last season.
Rylan Jones, the baby-faced assassin. pic.twitter.com/JpakxolNHL
— Sean "Poll Assassin" Walker (@ActuallyDSW) December 3, 2021
Sophomore guard Steven Ashworth had one of his best games of the season against Saint Mary’s as he scored 12 points off the bench. It was just his second time reaching double figures in 2021-22.
Utah State shot just 37.7% (20 of 53) and made 3 of 15 (20.0%) from distance. Bean and Jones, who had three steals, helped the Aggies force 17 turnovers.
Despite the poor shooting, Utah State is still scoring 112.7 points per 100 possessions, giving it the 36th-best offensive rating in the nation. The Aggies have also assisted on 73.3% of their field goals in the last three games.
BYU Outlook
Senior guard Alex Barcello continued his fine all-round season by scoring 21 points and adding four steals in the win at Missouri State.
Barcello is averaging 18.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists. He has scored in double figures in all eight games this season.
DAGGER! 7/7 from deep tonight for Alex Barcello. 💦 pic.twitter.com/bUCrZUShdC
— The Blue Brethren (@BlueBrethren) February 26, 2021
Senior guard Te’Jon Lucas has become a key player for the Cougars after transferring from Milwaukee. Lucas has averages of 11.9 points and 4.6 assists while either scoring or assisting on 40% of his team’s field goals over the last three games.
On Saturday, Lucas was one off his season high as he finished with 17 points.
With 14 points, junior guard Spencer Johnson was also a point shy of his season best while grabbing six rebounds. He bumped his scoring average to 9.6.
Spencer Johnson with a MASSIVE game tying layup pic.twitter.com/2pGX1qQAmU
— Karter Baughan (@karterb8) December 2, 2021
Sophomore forward Caleb Lohner had 10 points and six rebounds for BYU, which led 41-27 at halftime then almost squandered the 14-point advantage.
Missouri State got within 63-62 with 1:38 remaining. BYU then responded with seven straight points, including a jumper and two free throws by Barcello, to push the lead to 70-62 with 28 seconds to go.
Utah State vs BYU Prediction
BYU has a nine-game winning streak in the series, including a 67-64 victory last season in Logan. Barcello scored a game-high 23 points and grabbed five rebounds.
Utah State may not end their skid against the Cougars but Bean and Horvath give the Aggies enough firepower to get under the number.
The Pick: Utah State +7.5 (-114)
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
