Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Matchup

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

Baylor vs Arizona Prediction

Planning on watching today's Bears and Wildcats game? Catch the action at McKale Center in Tucson, AZ, as the Wildcats hosts this showdown at 11:00 ET on ESPN. The over/under for this Big 12 conference contest is set at 149 points, with Arizona being favored by -5.5 at home against Baylor.

Baylor vs. Arizona Matchup At A Glance

  • Sport: NCAAB
  • Teams: Baylor Bears at Arizona Wildcats
  • Where: Tucson at McKale Center
  • Date: Tuesday, January 14th
  • Betting Odds ARZ -5.5, BAYL +192 | ARZ -235 O/U 149

Bears Preview: Does Baylor Have What it Takes on the Road?

Baylor improved to 10-4 on the season with a 72-66 road win over Arizona State on Saturday. The Bears entered the game as -6.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 138, just under the O/U line of 141.5.

After leading 32-20 at halftime, Baylor allowed 41 points in the 2nd half while scoring 29. Despite the win, the Bears will need to tighten up defensively moving forward.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Baylor's offense put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 43.1% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, and they hit 66.7% of their free throws, going 14-for-21 from the line.

Offensively, they grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out 9 assists. BJ Freeman led the way with 22 points, while Norchad Omier added 19 points and 8 rebounds. Josh Ojianwuna was perfect from the field, hitting all 6 of his shots and pulling down 17 rebounds.

Bears Team Defense

Even with 12 offensive rebounds allowed, Baylor's defense held strong, giving up just 66 points on 36% shooting. They limited their opponent to 41% from two-point range, with 15 makes on 36 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Baylor's defense was effective, holding their opponent to 7 made threes on 24 attempts, a 29% success rate. They also sent them to the line 22 times, where they converted 15 free throws for a 68% mark.

Wildcats Preview: Can Arizona Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

Arizona improved to 10-5 on the season with an 88-80 home win over UCF on Saturday. The Wildcats were -17 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread.

Arizona led 45-42 at halftime and outscored UCF 43-38 in the second half. The total points for the game reached 168, surpassing the O/U line of 155.5.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Arizona put up 88 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc. They connected on 23 of 29 free throws, good for 79.3%, and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds.

Keyshawn Hall led the way with 22 points and 5 assists, despite shooting just 16.7% from three. Caleb Love hit 4 of 7 threes, finishing with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Tobe Awaka was efficient inside, shooting 71.4% from the field.

Wildcats Team Defense

Arizona's defense gave up 80 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 46% from the field. The Wildcats allowed 51% shooting on two-point attempts, as the other team went 19/37 inside the arc.

From three-point range, Arizona's opponents hit 9 of 23 shots, good for 39%. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 29 times, where they converted 23 attempts, shooting 79%. Arizona gave up 11 offensive rebounds as well.

Bears vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

  • In their last ten games away from home, the Bears have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 1-9 vs. the spread. The team averaged 68 points per game in this stretch.
  • Through their last ten home contests, the Wildcats offense has averaged 84 points per game while allowing an average of 77. Arizona posted an overall record of 7-3 while going 7-3 ATS.
  • Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Bears have a straight up record of 1-9. But, their mark vs the spread was just 2-8.
  • In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 5-5.

Baylor vs Arizona Prediction & Free Pick

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