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Arizona Wildcats vs. Oregon St. Beavers Gambling & NCAA Handicapping Prediction

Arizona vs OSU CBB Picks

The Arizona Wildcats have had a tremendous 2013-14 season, and while they’re sure to be highly ranked in the NCAA Tournament, extra momentum never hurt anybody. The Wildcats look to wrap up the regular season with a swing through the Pacific Northwest. [ad-4468020]

No. 3 Arizona (27-2, 14-2 Pac-12) @ Oregon State (15-13, 7-9)
Wednesday, March 5 11:00 PM ET FOXS1 @ Gill Coliseum
Spread: Zona -9.5 / OU: 137
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ATS Matchup Insight | CP Insider Gambling Preview

The Oregon State Beavers are up first, with the Wildcats concluding the regular season against the Oregon Ducks on Saturday, March. 8.

Arizona

The Arizona Wildcats enter this matchup as the No. 3 team in the country having won four straight. Since defeating the Utah Utes by four points in overtime back on Feb. 19—a game that succeeded a three-point double-overtime loss to the Arizona State Sun Devils—they’ve gotten themselves back on track, winning three in a row by an average of 22.7 points per game.

Against the Beavers—a team coming off of a 15-point loss to the UCLA Bruins—Arizona will look to keep the defense rolling with the hopes of a No. 1 seed in the tournament in mind. The Wildcats are giving up just 58.2 points per contest this season, which is good enough for fifth in the entire country.
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The reason the Wildcats have been so good at keeping their opponents off the scoreboard is because they use their length and athleticism to prevent offensive efficiency. They allow their opponents to shoot just 38.3 percent from the floor—the eighth-best mark in the nation—and they give up just 30.1 percent from the three-point line, which is good enough for 23rd.

Oregon State

The Beavers are going up against one of the toughest defenses in the country, which is a problem considering it doesn’t play much defense of its own.

On the season, Oregon State is just 291st in points allowed per game (74.5) and 209th in opponent field-goal efficiency (44.3 percent). The team also allows its opponents to shoot 35.3 percent from long range, which is 238th nationwide.

The Beavers must come into this matchup with the idea that either their offense or their defense must step up. In an ideal world, both will step up against the No. 3 team in the country, but more realistically, one or the other must get the job done.

Considering how good Arizona’s defense is, look the Beavers to also attack defensively. The Wildcats, while respectable offensively, are just 92nd in the nation in points scored per contest, giving the Beavers a better chance of beating their offense opposed to beating their defense.

Then again, this isn’t a matchup you should overthink too drastically. The Beavers have home-court advantage, but the Wildcats are the third-ranked team for a reason. Look for the Wildcats to get the job done convincingly.

Prediction: Arizona 75 – Oregon State 59

By Cappers Picks

Articles on CappersPicks.com are written by Q (the Head Honcho) at Cappers Picks or by our resident "in house" handicapper Razor Ray Monohan! Enjoy the free picks folks! "Pad that bankroll one day at a time!"