Auburn vs. Washington Odds, Picks, Predictions NCAAB (12/21/22)

Auburn took an undefeated record into the second week of December, but losses to Memphis and USC brought the Tigers back to reality. A road trip to face a Washington team that has wins over St. Mary’s and Colorado brings another major challenge for Bruce Pearl’s team.

Let’s take a look at the odds and make some picks and predictions for Wednesday’s Auburn vs. Washington NCAAB matchup in Seattle.

Auburn vs. Washington Odds

Auburn enters as a 4.5-point road favorite, sitting at -184 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at 138.5 points.

Auburn has shown enough to be a moderate favorite, even in a venue that Washington has played fairly well in of late. It’ll be interesting to see if these defenses keep it a low-scoring game, which would make a close game more likely and give the advantage toward Washington +4.5.

Auburn vs. Washington Prediction & Pick

Washington has been solid at home ever since the surprise loss to Cal-Baptist, but the Huskies have made a habit of playing close games. Auburn’s defense will be a brand new challenge for the Huskies’ already shaky offense. Could the same be true for Auburn’s offense? The Tigers need someone to step up and take on a lead scoring role.

We’ve also found out lately that the SEC might not be as strong as we all thought. Kentucky has lost nearly all of its tough games, including one against UCLA, while Mississippi State lost to Drake just as Ole Miss lost to North Alabama on Tuesday.

Washington was able to hang with (and beat) a strong defensive team in St. Mary’s, so it wouldn’t be shocking to me if the Huskies hung with an Auburn team still searching for a legitimate No. 1 scoring option. With Wendell Green Jr. still looking to get back on track amid an injury, I’m anticipating at least a close game in Seattle.

Auburn vs. Washington Key Matchups

Auburn doesn’t have the talent it did last season, when first-round picks Jabari Smith and Walker Kessler were on the roster. Bruce Pearl has done a nice job to this point, though. The Tigers have consistently impressed on the defensive end, and an offense with some flaws has come around against tougher competition of late.

Shooting is an issue for Auburn. Despite the fairly soft schedule, the Tigers are shooting just 28.9% from beyond the arc. Their 72.7 points per game aren’t overly inspiring, and Wendell Green Jr. hasn’t exactly proven he can be a dangerous No. 1 scorer after the losses of Smith and Kessler.

Green is a player worth monitoring ahead of this game. He was a game-time decision against USC due to an ankle injury. While he did start, he barely made an impact and it cost Auburn.

Guard play can be better, but the frontcourt is quietly getting the job done. Auburn is a solid rebounding team and leads the nation with 7.5 blocks per game. Transfer big man Johni Broome isn’t putting up huge numbers yet, but his three blocks per game (including eight against Saint Louis) are helping to anchor the Tigers’ defense.

Washington isn’t much more impressive than Auburn on the offensive side of the ball. The Huskies shoot only marginally better than the Tigers and hover near 71 points per game. Despite being one of the nation’s leaders in blocks right behind Auburn, Washington is a below-average rebounding team.

The Huskies do have something Auburn doesn’t have in a premier scorer. Kentucky transfer Keion Brooks Jr. has been ultra productive this season, while guard Cole Bajema has scored efficiently lately as he tries to prove he’s a legitimate second option. Like Auburn, scoring options are otherwise too inconsistent.

Washington’s defensive rating comes in at 69th in the nation. Holding Gonzaga to 77 points was a small victory, even in a loss. It’s tough to tell which Washington this Auburn team will get. The Huskies had a great showing against St. Mary’s in November and beat Colorado two weeks ago, but losses to Cal-Baptist and Oregon State are confusing.