Arizona Wildcats vs Cincinnati Bearcats Matchup

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

Arizona vs Cincinnati Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Wildcats versus the Bearcats? Tip off is at at 2:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN2. The game will be played at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. The over/under for this game is set at 147.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -2.5 vs. Arizona in a Big 12 conference matchup.

Arizona vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Arizona Wildcats at Cincinnati Bearcats
Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds CIN -2.5, ARZ +124 | CIN -151 O/U 147.5

Wildcats Preview: Do the Wildcats Have What it Takes in Cincinnati?

Arizona improved to 7-5 on the season with a 90-81 win over TCU on Monday. The Wildcats were -14.5 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game hit 171, surpassing the O/U line of 145.5.

Arizona led 41-37 at halftime and scored 49 points in the 2nd half while allowing 44. Despite the win, the Wildcats’ defense will need to tighten up moving forward.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Arizona's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 90 points on 56.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 62.1%, thanks in large part to their 72.2% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, they hit 7 of 22 threes, shooting 31.8%, and they were solid at the free-throw line, going 17 of 21 for 81%.

Caleb Love led the way with 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 64.7% from the field and 45.5% from three. Noah Reynolds added 23 points and 7 assists, hitting 50% of his threes. Arizona dished out 28 assists as a team, with 11 offensive rebounds, and Henri Veesaar contributed 15 points on 6 of 7 shooting in just 18 minutes.

Wildcats Team Defense

Arizona's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 56% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to shoot 72% on two-point attempts, with 26 made shots out of 36.

From beyond the arc, Arizona's opponents hit 7 of 22 threes, shooting 31%. They also sent them to the line 21 times, where they converted 17 free throws at an 81% rate. Arizona gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Bearcats Preview: Can Cincinnati Secure a Home Victory?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

The Bearcats dropped to 10-2 after a 70-67 loss to Kansas State on Monday. Cincinnati, who were -3.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 137, just under the O/U line of 139.5.

Trailing 31-29 at halftime, Cincinnati scored 38 points in the 2nd half but allowed 39, leading to the narrow defeat.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati's offense put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They connected on 36.8% of their three-point attempts, hitting 7 of 19 from deep, and went 4 of 7 from the free-throw line, shooting 57.1%.

Coleman Hawkins led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.8% overall and 60.0% from three-point range. Dan Skillings Jr. added 18 points, hitting 4 of 8 from beyond the arc, while Dug McDaniel contributed 17 points, shooting 53.8% from the field.

Bearcats Team Defense

Even though Cincinnati gave up 70 points, they held their opponent to 43% shooting from the field. The Bearcats allowed 18 two-pointers on 35 attempts, with their opponent shooting 51% inside the arc.

From three-point range, Cincinnati's defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting performance. The Bearcats also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 free throws, shooting 80%. Cincinnati gave up 7 offensive rebounds in the game.

Wildcats vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

The Wildcats are 3-2 ATS in their last road games and 3-2 straight-up.
When looking at their past ten home matchups, Cincinnati has an ATS record of 6-4 while averaging 68 per game. The team went 3-7 overall in these games.
Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 4-6. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.
Looking back on the team's last ten games as the favorite, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 8-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 5-5.