Cincinnati Bearcats vs Howard Bison Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Howard vs Cincinnati NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Cincinnati.

Howard vs Cincinnati Prediction

The Bison and Bearcats are set to face off at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bearcats will host the game at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 140.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -27.5 vs. Howard.

Howard vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NCAAB
  • Teams: Howard Bison at Cincinnati Bearcats
  • Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
  • Date: Sunday, December 8th
  • Betting Odds CIN -27.5, HOWRD +5000 | CIN -50000 O/U 140.5

Bison Preview: Does Howard Stand a Chance on the Road?

Howard's season continues to be a struggle as they fell to 2-5 after a 79-75 loss to Mount St. Mary's on Saturday. The Bison were -7.5 favorites at home but couldn't cover the spread.

Howard trailed 36-34 at halftime and couldn't turn things around in the 2nd half, getting outscored 43-41. The game total of 154 points went over the O/U line of 139.5.

Bison Offense Breakdown

Howard's offense put up 75 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.8%. They hit 56.7% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 31.8% of their threes (7/22).

At the free-throw line, the Bison shot 74.1%, making 20 of 27 attempts. Carmelo Pacheco was a standout, hitting 6 of 8 threes and finishing with 18 points, while Anwar Gill also contributed 18 points and 3 assists.

Bison Team Defense

Howard's defense gave up 79 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 46% from the field. Inside the arc, Howard allowed 17 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 56% shooting rate.

From three-point range, Howard's defense held their opponents to 31% shooting, with 7 made threes on 22 attempts. They also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 27 times, where they converted 20 free throws for a 74% rate. Howard gave up 7 offensive rebounds.

Bearcats Preview: Does Cincinnati Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Tuesday's 68-60 loss to Villanova marked Cincinnati's first defeat of the season, dropping their record to 6-1. The Bearcats, who were -4 favorites going into the game, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 37-28 at halftime, Cincinnati outscored Villanova 32-31 in the second half but couldn't complete the comeback. The game’s total points of 128 fell short of the 140 O/U line.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.3% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 45%, and they hit only 54.5% of their free throws, going 6-for-11 from the line.

Eric Dixon led the way with 31 points, hitting 3 of 7 from deep, while Jizzle James added 19 points and 5 assists. Jhamir Brickus also contributed 13 points, connecting on 3 of 5 three-point attempts and dishing out 9 assists.

Bearcats Team Defense

Even with Cincinnati's defense allowing 68 points, their opponents shot 48% from the field, connecting on 23 of 47 attempts. Inside the arc, they were 15/27, hitting 55% of their two-point shots.

From three-point range, Cincinnati's defense gave up 8 threes on 20 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponents to the line 17 times, where they made 14 free throws, shooting 82%. Cincinnati allowed 6 offensive rebounds.

Bison vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • Howard has a 2-3 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 72 points per game while allowing 83. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
  • In their last ten games at home, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 7-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 68 points per game in these contests.
  • In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Bison have a straight up record of 1-2 and an ATS mark of 2-1.
  • Through their last five games as the favorite, the Bearcats have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 4-1.

Howard vs Cincinnati Prediction & Free Pick

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