BYU Cougars vs Cincinnati Bearcats Matchup

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

BYU vs Cincinnati Prediction

The Cougars and Bearcats are set to face off at 6:00 ET on ESPN2. The Bearcats will host the game at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 138.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -1.5 to win at home against BYU.

BYU vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: BYU Cougars at Cincinnati Bearcats
Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
Date: Saturday, February 8th
Betting Odds CIN -1.5, BYU -107 | CIN -114 O/U 138.5

Cougars Preview: Are BYU Ready for a Road Win?

BYU fell to 15-7 on the season after an 85-74 home loss to Arizona on Tuesday. The Cougars were -3 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 159, surpassing the O/U line of 154.5.

After a 41-41 tie at halftime, BYU struggled in the second half, scoring 33 points while allowing 44. The Cougars will need to tighten up defensively and find more consistency on offense moving forward.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

BYU's offense put up 74 points in their latest game, shooting 41.8% from the field. They connected on 10 of 34 three-point attempts, hitting just 29.4% from deep, while their effective field goal percentage was 49.3%. The Cougars also struggled at the free-throw line, making only 8 of 14 attempts for 57.1%.

Henri Veesaar was a standout, hitting 8 of 10 shots for 17 points in 22 minutes, while Caleb Love added 18 points, shooting 4 of 9 from three. Tobe Awaka contributed 14 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 75% from the field. The Cougars finished with 14 assists and 10 offensive rebounds.

Cougars Team Defense

BYU's defense gave up 85 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 41% from the field. Inside the arc, they conceded 54% shooting, with 18 successful two-point attempts.

From three-point range, BYU's defense held their opponent to 29% shooting, with 10 made threes. They also sent them to the free-throw line 14 times, where they hit 57% of their attempts.

Bearcats Preview: Will the Bearcats Come Through as Home Favorites?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

Cincinnati improved to 13-9 on the season with a 93-83 road win over UCF on Wednesday. The Bearcats entered the game as +3.5 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they also covered the spread.

Leading 40-36 at halftime, Cincinnati scored 53 points in the 2nd half while allowing 47. The total points for the game reached 176, surpassing the O/U line of 146.5.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati poured in 93 points in their last game, shooting 58.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61.5%. They dominated inside, hitting 67.3% of their two-point attempts, while struggling from beyond the arc, connecting on just 31.2% of their threes.

Keyshawn Hall led the way with 23 points and 7 rebounds, while Darius Johnson added 21 points and 6 assists. Day Day Thomas contributed 20 points and 6 assists, and Aziz Bandaogo was nearly perfect, shooting 87.5% from the field.

Bearcats Team Defense

Even with Cincinnati giving up 83 points, they struggled defensively, allowing their opponent to shoot 47% from the field. Inside the arc, Cincinnati's defense was particularly vulnerable, as they allowed 27 two-point baskets on 45 attempts, a 60% shooting rate.

Cincinnati did manage to limit their opponent's three-point shooting, holding them to just 5 made threes on 22 attempts, a 22% success rate. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 14 of those attempts, shooting 77%.

Cougars vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, BYU has an ATS mark of 4-6. Their straight up record in these matchups was 3-7 while averaging 71 points per game.
In their last ten games at home, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 69 points per game in this stretch.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Cougars have gone 2-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Bearcats have a straight up record of 6-4 and an ATS mark of 3-7.