UL Monroe Warhawks vs Arizona State Sun Devils Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 2

Arizona State is 3-0 behind Paulius Murauskas at 25.3 points per game, and UL Monroe brings an offense scoring 84.0 a night into a very large spread in Tempe.

The Matchup

Arizona State is 3-0 at Desert Financial Arena in Tempe, scoring 83.3 points per game and allowing just 63.7. Paulius Murauskas has been dominant at 25.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, and Joel Foxwell sets the table at 6.3 assists per game. The Sun Devils, a Big 12 team, have the best player and the better defense in this game by a wide margin.

UL Monroe is 1-3 out of the Sun Belt, but the Warhawks are not a pushover on offense: they score 84.0 points per game, actually a touch more than Arizona State, even while allowing 86.5. Quaran McPherson leads them at 16.8 points per game and Lance Carr adds 8.0 rebounds per game. The ratings blend this season with last season because neither team has played eight games, and last season matters here: Arizona State went 17-16 with a negative scoring margin, and UL Monroe finished 4-28.

That history pulls the true gap well below what a 3-0 start suggests. McPherson and Murauskas both carry no injury designations.

Key Factors

This pick is about the size of the number relative to the gap between the teams. Arizona State should win, and probably win big, but covering a spread in the thirties requires forty minutes of sustained demolition, and the Sun Devils' blended profile, dragged down by last season's losing scoring margin, does not support that level of dominance.

The counterpoint is real: Murauskas at 25.3 points per game could overwhelm the UL Monroe frontcourt, and the Warhawks' defense, allowing 86.5 per game, could simply collapse. If Arizona State turns this into a layup line early, the number is reachable. The more likely script is a comfortable home win where UL Monroe's offense, which has scored at a genuine Division I rate, does just enough late to stay inside a very large spread.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.