Cincinnati Bearcats vs Grambling State Tigers Matchup

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

Grambling State vs Cincinnati Prediction

Looking to win big? The Tigers and Bearcats face off at 4:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bearcats are hosting the game at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 135.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -29.5 vs. Grambling State.

Grambling State vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Grambling State Tigers at Cincinnati Bearcats
Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
Date: Sunday, December 22nd
Betting Odds CIN -29.5, GRMBST +3300 | CIN -10000 O/U 135.5

Tigers Preview: Do the Tigers Have a Shot at a Win at Cincinnati?

Grambling State Tigers Recent Game/Games

Grambling State fell to 0-9 on the season after a 76-70 road loss to Norfolk State on Friday, December 20th. The Tigers entered the game as +7 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 146, exceeding the O/U line of 137.5.

After trailing 47-33 at halftime, Grambling State tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 29 points while scoring 37 of their own. Despite the improved effort, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Grambling State's offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 44.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50%. They hit just 5 of 21 from beyond the arc, shooting 23.8%, but were strong inside, hitting 57.1% of their two-point attempts. At the free-throw line, they connected on 15 of 17 attempts, good for 88.2%.

Brian Moore Jr. led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 58.3% from the field. Louis Hutchinson added 15 points, hitting 3 of 5 from deep, while Ernest Ross also contributed 15 points despite struggling from the field, shooting 33.3% overall and missing all 3 of his three-point attempts.

Tigers Team Defense

Grambling State's defense struggled, giving up 76 points while allowing the opposition to shoot 49% from the field. They allowed 19 two-point baskets on 36 attempts, a 52% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, the Tigers gave up 6 threes on 15 attempts, a 40% shooting percentage. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 27 times, where they made 20 free throws, hitting 74%.

Bearcats Preview: Can the Bearcats Secure a Win at Home?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

The Bearcats improved to 9-1 on the season with a 66-59 win over the Flyers on Friday, December 20th. Playing at home, Cincinnati went into the game as -3.5 favorites and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 125, falling short of the 136.5 O/U line.

Cincinnati took control early, leading 25-17 at halftime. While they allowed 42 points in the 2nd half, they scored 41 of their own to seal the win.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 36.2% from the field and 27.6% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 43.1%, and they managed 17 offensive rebounds, with 11 assists as a team.

Dan Skillings Jr. led the Bearcats with 17 points, while Jizzle James hit 4 of 6 threes, finishing with 14 points and 3 assists. Malachi Smith, Nate Santos, and Simas Lukosius each added 13 points, with Lukosius shooting just 23.5% overall and 25% from deep.

Bearcats Team Defense

Even with 17 offensive rebounds, Cincinnati's defense held strong, giving up just 59 points. They limited their opponent to 36% shooting overall, with a 44% success rate on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, Cincinnati kept their opponent to 27% shooting, as they hit only 8 of 29 threes. At the free-throw line, their opponent went 16/21, good for 76%.

Tigers vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, Grambling State has a 4-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 0-5, while averaging 66 points per game.
Although Cincinnati has a straight up record of 4-6 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 7-3. The team averaged 68 points per game in these games.
Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Tigers have a straight up record of 2-8. But, their mark vs the spread was just 8-2.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Cincinnati has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 9-1 straight up.