Arizona vs. Washington State score predictions

A trap game in Pullman?

The Arizona Wildcats have won six straight games and will look to extend that streak Wednesday night against the Washington State Cougars in Pullman.

Washington State enters with a 9-11 record including a 1-7 conference record. Arizona is 18-4 and 8-1, respectively.

The Wildcats have a half-game lead on the USC Trojans for first place in the Pac-12. The Trojans face UCLA this weekend, so Arizona might be able to extend that lead with a couple wins over the Washington schools.

KenPom gives Arizona a 77 percent chance of beating WSU with a projected score of 81-73, and ESPN lists the Wildcats as 11.5-point favorites.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. MST on the Pac-12 Networks.

Here is how we think the game will shake out. Be sure to leave your predictions in the comment section below.

Ryan Kelapire — Arizona wins 85-72

The only way the Wildcats lose this game is if Washington State shoots lights out from 3, which it is capable of doing.

46.7 percent of WSU’s points come from behind the arc which ranks No. 1 in the country. The Cougs shoot 39 percent from 3 which is high — and Arizona has not been good at defending the 3 this year, so that is potentially a bad combination.

But WSU would still have to get enough stops on defense, and that probably won’t happen as the Cougs rank 212nd on that end of the floor.

Arizona has played in a ton of tight games lately, but I think it wins this one easily.

Jason Bartel — Arizona wins 79-69

Arizona plays teams closer than they should, and I don’t see a late night Wednesday game on the longest road trip of the year being any different.

WSU is 1-7 in conference play but always loses somewhere between nine and 20 points, so I’ll take the low end of that margin for this particular game. Man, this conference has some bad teams in it though and this one starting at 9 p.m. central time is not my idea of a good time.

Matt Sheeley — Arizona wins 80-73

All signs point to a blowout for the Wildcats on Wednesday night.

Arizona is a far better team than Washington State right now as they are at literal opposite ends of the Pac-12 standings. Arizona hasn’t lost to Wazzu since 2010 and haven’t won by less than 15 against the Cougars since 2012.

But I’ve started to question Arizona’s ability to blow teams out. Yes, they beat Cal by 21 two weeks ago but that was thanks in part to phenomenal shooting and Cal being atrocious from the field. Can they shoot 62 percent? Will Washington State shoot 1-of-13 from deep?

It just feels like a safer bet to say these Wildcats come out with a close win as opposed to a “statement game” no matter the opponent. Arizona wins but some of it will be ugly.

Christopher Boan — Arizona wins 77-59

Washington State has 6-foot-7 center, so that six-inch height difference is gonna be a problem to solve for old man Ernie Kent.

Alec Sills-Trausch — Arizona wins 65-55

The Cougars will go zone and it’ll slow down UA’s offense. Plus, the fact that Arizona had to fly somewhere near Pullman and then bus the rest of the way will surely disrupt them even more. ‘Cats win but it’s not pretty.

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