West Virginia vs. Arizona State Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Use Code WWWC On Wednesday, the West Virginia Mountaineers will play the Arizona State Sun Devils in a Big 12 basketball game, and we have you ready to go with our West Virginia vs. Arizona State prediction, odds, and preview. Tip-off from Tempe, AZ, is at 9:00 p.m. ET.
The Sun Devils are 1.5-point spread favorites, and the game total is 148.5 points scored.
The Sun Devils beat the Mountaineers 65-57 last season in the first matchup between these new conference foes. If you want the West Virginia vs. Arizona State prediction, read on to get our top NCAAB predictions and increase your bankroll!
West Virginia is a veteran-led team
West Virginia (12-6 SU, 10-8 ATS, and 7-11 O/U) beat Colorado 72-61 in its last game, improving to 3-2 in conference play. The Mountaineers never trailed by more than one point and led by as many as 14, as they shot 52 percent from the floor. They also dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Buffaloes 38-22. Colorado shot under 40 percent overall and under 30 percent from three-point range.
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WVU was 19-13 last season, including 10-10 in Big 12 competition. The Mountaineers were led by first-year head coach Darian DeVries, who spent the previous six seasons coaching Drake into a Missouri Valley Conference title contender and NCAA tourney team. While the expectation was that he would be in Morgantown for years to come, DeVries unexpectedly bolted in the offseason for Indiana. The Mountaineers hired Ross Hodge, who spent the previous two seasons leading North Texas, to be his replacement. North Texas excelled defensively under Hodge, holding its opponents to 60.1 points per game last season, the third-fewest in the country. Defense will always be key in the Big 12, and especially for West Virginia this season (48th in defensive efficiency rating) with a new-look roster.
WVU, picked to finish 11th out of 16 teams in the conference's preseason poll, features several impactful newcomers. Senior forward Brenen Lorient (10.4 PPG and 5.4 RPG this season) started his college basketball career at Florida Atlantic and excelled last season under Hodge at North Texas, scoring 11.9 points with 4.9 rebounds per game. Senior point guard Jasper Floyd (6.9 PPG and 3.0 APG) was Hodge's floor general at UNT, and senior shooting guard Honor Huff (17.1 PPG) arrives via Chattanooga, where he led the nation in three-pointers made last season. A few other key contributors are senior guard Chance Moore (10.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG), senior forward Treysen Eaglestaff (9.9 PPG and 4.5 RPG), 7-foot senior center Harlan Obioha (6.2 PPG and 5.7 RPG), and freshman forward DJ Thomas (7.2 PPG).
West Virginia Mountaineers Basketball Injury Report:
- No key injuries to report.
Sun Devils have been blown out twice recently
Arizona State (10-8 SU, 9-9 ATS, and 12-6 O/U) lost 103-73 on the road to Houston in its previous game. Sparky shot just 41 percent from the floor, while the Cougars hit 56 percent of their field goals, including 48 percent of their three-balls. ASU was competitive on the glass, but was outscored 44-22 in the paint. The Sun Devils' 17 turnovers also resulted in 31 points for Houston.
The Sun Devils were 13-20 last season, finishing 4-16 in Big 12 Conference competition (15th place). After the regular season, they were invited to participate in the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament, where they lost in the first round to Nebraska. ASU is led by 11th-year head coach Bobby Hurley, who has compiled a 177-157 record in Tempe. The 2025-26 Sun Devils squad was picked to finish 16th (last) in the Big 12's preseason poll.
Arizona State has a new-look roster for this season, with only two returnees. Hurley added one freshman and seven transfers this past offseason in an effort to get back over .500 and cool off his hot seat. Senior Pepperdine transfer guard Maurice Odum leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points with 6.4 dimes per game. Two other Sun Devils are averaging double-digit points: senior guard Anthony Johnson (14.2PPG and 3.1 APG) and 7-foot-1 frosh center Mor Massamba Diop (14.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.8 BPG). A couple of other players to watch against West Virginia are junior guard Bryce Ford (8.5 PPG) and sophomore forward Santiago Trouet (7.6 PPG and 5.6 RPG).
Arizona State Sun Devils Injury Report:
- No key injuries to report.
West Virginia vs. Arizona State Pick and Preview
Moneyline Pick for West Virginia vs. Arizona State
- Mountaineers ML (5 Units)
On the heels of a 30-point loss, the Sun Devils lack momentum (ranked 347th nationally in positive momentum, per Haslametrics). They could struggle to get into a rhythm on offense against the much slower-paced Mountaineers. The visitors are coming off a solid bounce-back win over Colorado and beat Kansas by nine points two games back. They have more shooting touch than Arizona State from three-point range, especially when Huff is hitting long-range shots, and will make the Sun Devils work hard on the other end of the court. WVU holds its opponents to 40 percent shooting overall and rarely allows opposing teams to capitalize on second-chances from offensive rebounds. ASU can also be careless with the basketball and ranks 321st in potential quick points allowed off opponents' breakaway steals.
Aside from lopsided road losses to ranked Houston and Iowa State teams, West Virginia has been solid enough away from home. I believe they will win straight-up as slight underdogs in Tempe!
Over/Under Pick for West Virginia vs. Arizona State
- Under 148.5 (4 Units)
Betting Trend: The under is 5-1 in the Mountaineers' previous six games.
The slow-paced visitors will limit the total number of possessions, preventing the total from surpassing 148 points. WVU averages 62.9 possessions per 40 minutes (adjusted for opponent), the eighth-fewest in the nation. They aspire to drag their opponents into a grueling, low-scoring game, relying on their stout defense to keep the score close. That's to be expected from a Hodge-coached team. Considering that the Sun Devils are faster-paced, I believe they will struggle with the playing style, which will reduce their offensive efficiency and lead to some sloppy play. On the other end of the court, the Mountaineers will have a slight advantage over Sparky, but they aren't an elite offensive squad, even when their threes are falling. With neither team likely to have a significant rebounding edge and an average number of free throws expected, the 148.5-point total looks too high.
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