Arizona vs. Wright State Odds, Spread, Pick & Predictions for 2022 NCAA Tournament
Bet $5 on Any NCAAB Game, Win $200 >>
Arizona Wildcats vs. Wright St. Raiders Game Info
Arizona Wildcats(31-3, 18-2 Pac 12) vs. Wright St. Raiders (22-13, 15-7 Horizon League)
- Date: Friday, March 18, 2022
- Start Time: 7:27 p.m. ET
- Location: Viejas Arena— San Diego, CA
- Coverage: truTV
- Last Meeting: December 1, 2018 — Gonzaga defeated Creighton 103-92 in Omaha.
Arizona Wildcats vs. Wright State Raiders Betting Odds
Odds courtesy Draftkings
- Moneyline: WRST: (+2000) | ARZ: (-5000)
- Point Spread: WRST: +21.5 (-110) | ARZ: -21.5(-110)
- Total: 156.5 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Betting Trends
- Wright State 2021-22 Betting Trends: 13-18 ATS; 15-15-1 to the Over
- Arizona 2021-22 Betting Trends: 17-13-1 ATS; 17-14 to the Over
- Arizona is 3-2 in their last five games against the spread
- The totals have gone OVER in 4 of Arizona’s last five games
- Wright State is 3-2 in their last five games against the spread
- The totals have gone OVER in 3 of Wright State’s last five games
- No. 1 Arizona has played in 16 of the last 20 NCAA tournaments, going 29-16 straight up and 23-20-2 against the spread in 45 total games.
- No. 16 Wright St. has played in only two of the last 20 NCAA tournaments, going 0-2 straight up and 0-2 against the spread in two total games.
Overview
The Raiders outgunned Bryant in a track meet that ended 93-82. However, they are now in store for another one, but this time around, the caliber of their opposition is as high as it can get. Arizona is coming off of an extremely impressive season as they had very few slips ups on their way to a Pac 12 title. They are fully expected to make a run at the national title, but they must not get caught looking ahead. While it may seem that the outcome is a foregone conclusion, As bettors, this matchup is as intriguing as any other.
Wright St. Raiders Betting Preview
In their play-in game, Tanner Holden led in a big way for the Raiders. Holden dropped 37 of his team’s 92 points. However, his effort was not the only one, as Trey Calvin added 21 points of his own. Unfortunately, even a repeat effort may not be enough in this matchup.
The Raiders deserve credit for getting to this point. They defeated the two top seeds on their way to winning the Horizon League tournament and then still had to pass another test to be among the 64 best teams in the country. The heroics of Tanner Holden are a common theme with this Raiders offense. The enter the opening round matchup 81st in effective field goal percentage and 57th in two-point percentage.
The worry for Wright State is on the defensive end of the floor. They have a tall task in front of them, both literally and figuratively, with the Wildcats. The Raiders have not exactly impressed anyone defensively as they rank 255th in defensive efficiency.
Arizona Wildcats Betting Preview
Expectations are at an all-time high for this Arizona team. After 31-3 season, the Wildcats enter the tournament with the second-best odds to take home the title. If they were to do so, it would be their first national title since 1997.
How are they going to make a run? It’s as simple as utilizing their elite size and athleticism to dominate on both ends of the court. The Wildcats finished the regular season fifth in offensive efficiency and 19th in defensive efficiency. Those numbers are put up by the second-tallest team in the country. Their twin towers down low, Azuolas Tubelis and Christian Koloko are highly skilled on both ends of the floor. We haven’t even gotten to the Pac 12 player of the year Bennedict Mauthrin. The sophomore guard averaged over 17 points and five rebounds per game this season. If the Wildcats do indeed make a run, Mauthrin will be in the running for tournament MVP.
Arizona Wildcats vs. Wright State Betting Pick and Prediction
The Wildcats like to use their athleticism to get out and run on offense as they are eighth in the country in tempo. Wright State will be inclined to run with them as they are not much slower, coming in at 67th in tempo. When you take the tempos of each of these teams and combine it with Wright State’s porous defense, you have the recipe for an over. That is what I’m rolling with here, as KenPom has the total for this game projected at 160.
Pick: Over 156.5 (-110 at DraftKings)
Win $200 if Either Team Hits a Three-Pointer >>
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including How to Choose a Sportsbook — or head to more advanced strategy — like Which Sports Are Most Profitable to Bet? — to learn more.