Arizona State Sun Devils vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Picks and Predictions March 8th 2025

No. 9 Texas Tech Faces Struggling Arizona State in Crucial Big 12 Matchup

Arizona State enters Saturday night’s matchup against No. 9 Texas Tech on an eight-game home losing streak, and speculation looms over head coach Bobby Hurley’s future. This could be Hurley’s final regular-season game leading the Sun Devils after a decade-long tenure, as reports suggest his time with the program may be coming to an end.

Meanwhile, Texas Tech (23-7, 14-5 Big 12) is looking to secure second place in the Big 12 standings behind conference champion Houston and build momentum heading into the postseason.

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Arizona State’s Struggles and Roster Challenges

Arizona State (13-17, 4-15 Big 12) has had a disastrous season, losing three straight games and going 1-9 in its last 10 contests. Hurley, however, remains optimistic despite the challenges.

“It’s very easy to just let go of the rope and feel sorry for yourself and not compete,” Hurley said. “These guys have stayed together through all the chaos and unfortunate things that have gone on.”

The Sun Devils have been hit hard by roster issues:

• Leading scorer BJ Freeman was dismissed from the team two weeks ago for conduct detrimental to the program.
• Jayden Quaintance (right knee injury) has missed the last three games.
• Adam Miller (hip injury) aggravated his condition in the opening minute of Tuesday’s 113-100 loss to No. 24 Arizona.
• Alston Mason stepped up, scoring a season-high 33 points in the loss.

Despite being shorthanded, ASU managed to score 100 points in regulation for the first time this season, even though they had only five scholarship players available by the end of the game.

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Texas Tech: A Team on the Rise

The Red Raiders have had an impressive season and are coming off a dominant 91-75 win over Colorado on Wednesday night, where they tied a program record with 16 made three-pointers. Head coach Grant McCasland praised his team’s selflessness:

“What a fun team to coach because all of them are unselfish. Our team really does share the basketball, and everybody can shoot, so how do you defend it?”

Key performances from that game included:

• Kerwin Walton – 4 three-pointers
• Chance McMillian & Christian Anderson – 3 three-pointers each
• JT Toppin – 30 points, 14 rebounds

Texas Tech has been strong on the road (7-2 away record) and is the only team in the Big 12 to defeat Houston this season.

Key Matchup: JT Toppin vs. Arizona State’s Frontcourt

In their last meeting, Texas Tech edged Arizona State 111-106 in double overtime, thanks to a career-best performance from JT Toppin:

• 41 points, 15 rebounds

With Quaintance questionable, ASU faces a major challenge in stopping Toppin, especially after being outscored 52-30 in the paint against Arizona earlier this week.

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What’s at Stake?

A Texas Tech win would:
✅ Lock up second place in the Big 12
✅ Bolster their NCAA Tournament resume
✅ Keep their momentum strong heading into March Madness

For Arizona State, this game could be the final chapter of Bobby Hurley’s tenure unless the Sun Devils pull off a shocking upset.

Final Thoughts

With Texas Tech firing on all cylinders and Arizona State battling injuries, dismissals, and uncertainty, the Red Raiders are the clear favorites. However, if ASU can replicate its offensive explosion from the Arizona game, it might just make things interesting.