#7 Baylor vs. Oklahoma State | NCAA Basketball

Even if it was good enough to make the NCAA Tournament, which it isn’t, Oklahoma State is banned from 2022 Big Dance after losing appeal of case tied to FBI bribery investigation. The NCAA rejected Oklahoma State’s appeal of a postseason ban ruling from 2021 and upheld the initial punishment. On Monday, though, the Cowboys can help prevent defending national champion Baylor from winning the Big 12 regular-season title. Baylor is a solid favorite on the NCAAB odds.

How to Bet Baylor at Oklahoma State NCAA Basketball Odds & TV Info

When: Monday, 9 PM ET
Where: Gallagher-Iba Arena
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN app
Radio: Tunein.com

Last Meeting

On Jan. 15, Oklahoma State was a 61-54 upset winner at Baylor when the Bears were ranked No. 1 in the country. Bryce Thompson scored the game’s final six points and finished with 19 to lead OSU. After trailing by as many as 17 points in the second half, the Bears were within 55-54 with 1:21 left. when LJ Cryer made two free throws to cap a 14-2 run. They didn’t score again. Thompson made two free throws with 26 seconds left, then Bears guard Adam Flagler had turnovers on consecutive possessions — losing the ball out of bounds on a drive to the basket, then a bad pass. Thompson was fouled making the steal, then hit two more free throws before a game-capping breakaway dunk after Baylor missed its last shot.

Monday is the 91st series meeting. OSU leads 57-33, but BU is 21-18 vs. OSU in the Drew era.

Why Bet on Baylor?

The Bears (22-5) beat visiting TCU 72-62 on Saturday. A week after 6-foot-8 post Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua tore multiple ligaments in his left knee, and four days after “Everyday Jon” had surgery, Baylor was also without guards Adam Flagler (knee discomfort) and LJ Cryer (foot discomfort). Cryer, who has missed five of the last six games, was the team’s leading scorer at 13.5 points a game. Flagler, who had 60 points the previous four games, missed his second game.

Jeremy Sochan matched his season-high with 17 points and fellow freshman Kendall Brown added 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Baylor got balanced scoring with double-digit points as well from Matthew Mayer (16), James Akinjo (11) and Flo Thamba, who finished two boards shy of a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Baylor is 5-2 in Big 12 road games this season, while the rest of the league is a combined 21-42. Baylor is 19-5 in Big 12 road games over the last 3 seasons (rest of league is 80-141 in B12 road games). The Bears have won 15 of their last 18 games away from home – 9-0 neutral, 6-3 road.

BU is 17-0 this season when winning points in the paint and 16-1 when committing fewer turnovers. Baylor is the only High Major team ranked top-50 in scoring offense (40th) and scoring defense (29th). Baylor ranks top-25 nationally in scoring margin (8th, +14.5), steals (13th, 9.3), assists (18th, 16.4), offensive rebounds (17th, 12.9), turnovers forced (18th, 16.6) and turnover margin (23rd, +3.6).

Baylor has taken a lead in 113 consecutive games (last wire-to-wire loss Dec. 1, 2018 at Wichita State). BU has won 61 straight when shooting a higher percentage than its opponent (last loss March 2, 2019 at K-State).

Baylor is 11-3 vs. Oklahoma State since 2016 and 16-6 vs. the Cowboys since 2012. BU has won 6 in a row in Stillwater and is 8-2 at OSU since 2012 after being 3-24 at OSU prior to 2012.

Why Bet on Oklahoma State?

The Cowboys (13-13) won 82-79 at home in OT over Kansas State on Saturday. Markquis Nowell’s near half-court shot bounced off the back of the rim at the buzzer for Kansas State. Isaac Likekele blocked Nijel Pack’s eight-foot runner as time expired in regulation to force the extra session tied at 66.

Oklahoma State shot 52 percent from the field on Saturday, which marked the highest field goal percentage for the Cowboys in Big 12 play. The Cowboys are also shooting 47.3 percent from the floor over their past eight games well above their season average of 43.8 percent.

Bryce Thompson led the way for the Cowboys down the stretch, scoring 15 of his 23 points in the second half and in overtime. It was his third-straight game posting double-figures for OSU and the third time this season he has scored at least 20 points.

Thompson’s 23 points also became his new career-high. His previous career high came against the Wildcats earlier in the season when he scored 22 in Manhattan. Woody Newton and Kalib Boone combined for 20 points off the bench with Newton scoring a career-high nine points and Boone with 11.

During a stretch in which OSU has posted a 3-2 record, finishes haven’t been the issue. OSU has outscored its five foes 184-162 in the second half (+22). The Cowboys have struggled at times in the first half, where they have been outscored 170-162 (-8) during the first 20 minutes of action.

Oklahoma State has allowed just 12 of its 26 foes to score more than 70 points in a game and has delivered the 18th-best adjusted defensive efficiency, according to Kenpom. A big point of that has been turnovers. OSU has forced a turnover on 22.9 percent of defensive possessions, which comes in at 21st-best in the country. If teams haven’t turned the ball over first, they’re also getting blocked on 14.9 percent of their possessions, the 12th-most in the country.