The Washington Huskies have been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2019-20 college basketball season. With a 3-13 record against the spread in Pac-12 play, they have been the worst cover team among the power five conferences in league play. Only James Madison has covered a lower percentage of its games in league play.
Washington has not had any chemistry in the backcourt since Kentucky transfer Quade Green was ruled ineligible in early January. Green had been shooting a team-best 44.7 percent from 3-point range and Washington was ranked 108th in offensive efficiency, which is the amount of points scored per possession. Since losing him, Washington has fallen to 203rd and has scored 67 points or fewer in 10 of its 14 games.
When Arizona State and Washington hooked up Feb. 1, the Sun Devils won 87-83 in a game in which Washington forced 19 turnovers and went to the free-throw line 35 times. Since then, coach Bobby Hurley’s Sun Devils have not given up more than 75 points in a game, and have forced an average of 3.1 turnovers per game more than they commit.
After the Huskies exploded on offense the last time these two squared off, we should see regression to the mean. Washington has not found a true point guard since Green’s suspension, which spells doomsday against a Sun Devils team that ranks 17th in the country in turnovers per game forced.
The play: Washington-Arizona State, Under 142 points.