Cincinnati Bearcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers Matchup

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

West Virginia vs Cincinnati Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Mountaineers versus the Bearcats? Tip off is at at 2:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. The over/under for this Big 12 conference contest is set at 127.5 points, with Cincinnati being favored by -5 at home against West Virginia.

West Virginia vs. Cincinnati Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: West Virginia Mountaineers at Cincinnati Bearcats
Where: Cincinnati at Fifth Third Arena
Date: Sunday, February 2nd
Betting Odds CIN -5, WVIR +182 | CIN -227 O/U 127.5

Mountaineers Preview: Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog West Virginia?

West Virginia Mountaineers Recent Game/Games

West Virginia dropped to 13-7 on the season after a 63-49 home loss to Houston on Wednesday. The Mountaineers entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 39-19 at halftime, West Virginia outscored Houston 30-24 in the second half but couldn’t complete the comeback. The game’s total points of 112 fell short of the 123.5-point over/under line.

Mountaineers Offense Breakdown

West Virginia's offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 49 points. They shot 46.5% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 51.2%. Their two-point shooting was solid at 64% (16/25), but they hit just 4 of 18 from beyond the arc, shooting 22.2% from three.

Free-throw shooting was also an issue, as they connected on only 5 of 11 attempts (45.5%). L.J. Cryer led the way with 17 points, hitting 2 of 4 from three and 6 of 12 overall. Joseph Tugler added 12 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the field.

Mountaineers Team Defense

West Virginia's defense gave up 63 points, allowing the opposing team to shoot 46% from the field. They were particularly vulnerable inside, where the other team hit 64% of their two-point shots, going 16/25.

From beyond the arc, West Virginia held their opponent to just 4/18 shooting, or 22%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 11 times, where they made 5, shooting 45%. West Virginia allowed 5 offensive rebounds.

Bearcats Preview: Does Cincinnati Stand a Chance at Home?

Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games

The Bearcats fell to 12-8 on the season following a 69-66 road loss to Utah on Tuesday. Cincinnati entered the game as +1 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 135, just under the O/U line of 136.5.

Cincinnati trailed 40-34 at halftime but tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 29 points while scoring 32. Despite the improved defense, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Bearcats Offense Breakdown

Cincinnati managed just 66 points in their last game, shooting 39.3% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 46.4%. They hit 36.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 22 attempts, and struggled at the free-throw line, shooting 63.6% on 14 of 22 attempts.

Gabe Madsen and Jizzle James each scored 18 points, with James hitting 50% from three-point range. Keanu Dawes contributed 12 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 80% from the field, while Ezra Ausar added 11 points on 62.5% shooting.

Bearcats Team Defense

Despite Cincinnati's defensive struggles, allowing 69 points on 52% shooting, their offense couldn't capitalize. They sent their opponent to the line 17 times, where they hit 12 free throws.

From beyond the arc, Cincinnati's defense held their opponent to 5 threes on 14 attempts, a 35% shooting performance.

Mountaineers vs Bearcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road games, West Virginia has an ATS record of just 5-4-1. However, their overall record was 4-6 while averaging 69 points per game.
Through their last five home games, Cincinnati has an ATS record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 60 points per game.
The last three games that West Virginia was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
As the betting favorite, the Bearcats have an ATS mark of just 1-4 in their last five games. Cincinnati posted a straight up mark of 2-3 in these matchups.