1 hour ago
3
Brigham Young Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) dribbles the ball.
Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
The Big 12 gets the primetime slot of the college basketball slate on Saturday night as No. 10 Texas Tech takes on A.J. Dybantsa and BYU in Provo.
This is the second meeting between the two, with the Red Raiders capturing an 84-71 victory over the Cougars back on Jan. 17.
However, both teams have battled the injury bug since that contest, with Texas Tech losing its leading scorer, J.T. Toppin, to a torn ACL.
BYU guard Richie Saunders’ season was also cut short due to a lower leg injury.
Despite being on the wrong side of a three-game losing streak, the Cougars are 2.5-point home favorites, with the Over/Under set at 158.5 total points for tonight’s tilt, per bet365.
Texas Tech vs. BYU prediction, best bet
On paper, it’s shocking to think Texas Tech would be underdogs in this one, as they enter 22-8 on the season with resume-friendly wins over Duke, Houston, Arizona, and Iowa State.
However, three of those four wins came with a healthy Toppin in the lineup, as the Red Raiders’ lack of interior presence without him has shown of late, especially in their recent loss to unranked TCU.
The Red Raiders live by the 3-ball, as no team in the conference averages more 3-point makes than Texas Tech, who hit at a near 41% rate.
Christian Anderson #4 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Getty ImagesThe starting backcourt of Christian Anderson and Donovan Atwell provides ample scoring from the perimeter and will look to attack BYU’s lackluster 103.3 defensive rating entering Saturday, per KenPom.
While the Cougars struggle to execute defensively at times, their offensive firepower more than makes up for it, averaging 84 points per game, second in the conference to only Arizona.
It all starts with projected NBA lottery pick, Dybantsa, who can effectively score at will, whether it be in the post or shot-creating off a screen-and-roll.
Entering Saturday, he is the top scorer in the nation, accounting for 24.8 points per game, and has scored in double figures in each game of his freshman campaign.
BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) shoots a three-pointer. Ben Queen-Imagn ImagesIn what could be the final home game for Dybantsa in Provo, bank on him to will the Cougars to victory in a revenge spot.
The Red Raiders’ slow tempo of launching 3s at a high volume is likely to run into issues against the Cougs’ physical rebounding game plan if those attempts don’t hit.
BYU also held a nine point led in the second half of the first meeting, until Tech blitzed them with a 30-9 run to earn a wild comeback win.
Ultimately, Toppin’s absence this time around gives BYU a huge advantage on the glass.
The Play: BYU moneyline (-150, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
English (US)