With time now starting to run out on the regular season in college basketball, the opportunity for teams to make their mark and get on a roll before the tournament is beginning to wane. This is especially true for teams on the bubble, as they now have very limited opportunities to prove that they belong with the very best teams in college basketball. There are a bunch of teams who already know that they will be playing in March when the tournament begins, but there is no way that any of them will be taking their foot off the gas over the next few weeks, as seeding is incredibly important. There is no such thing as an easy path to the National Championship, but a higher seed does mean a more favorable bracket. The Baylor Bears look set to be a #1 seed heading into March Madness, but there are a few teams looking to knock them off coming down the stretch. The Bears will be at home to the West Virginia Mountaineers on Saturday afternoon and will almost certainly be in as a favorite in the college basketball betting lines.
West Virginia vs Baylor 2020 College Basketball Betting Lines & Game Preview
- When: Saturday, February 15 at 4 PM EST
- Where: Ferrell center, Waco
- TV: ESPN
Why Bet on the West Virginia Mountaineers?
At a time when teams want to be getting stronger in preparation for the playoffs, the West Virginia Mountaineers find themselves heading in the wrong direction. They are on a run that has seen them lose back to back games and 3 of their last 5. They had already dropped down to #14 in the national rankings prior to this week and will almost certainly drop again if they lose this one. The fall may not be so bad this week given that their games have been against #3 Kansas and #1 Baylor. One of the biggest issues that the Mountaineers have here is that they are just 4-16 SU in their last 20 games on the road. Overall, though, they are 6-4 SU against the Bears in their last 10 meetings, but this Bears team is way better than what we have seen in recent years.
West Virginia Mountaineers 2020 NCAA Betting Trends and Stats
Betting Trends
- West Virginia are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of West Virginia’s last 6 games.
- West Virginia are 14-6 SU in their last 20 games.
- West Virginia are 6-3 ATS in their last 9 games against Baylor.
- West Virginia are 6-3 SU in their last 9 games against Baylor.
- West Virginia are 4-16 SU in their last 20 games on the road.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of West Virginia’s last 6 games when playing on the road against Baylor.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of West Virginia’s last 5 games this season.
- West Virginia are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against an opponent in the Big 12 conference.
- West Virginia are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games played in February.
Team Stats
Offense
- Total Score: 71.79
- Field Goal %: 42.75
- Three Point %: 30.00
- Free Throw %: 64.26
- Total Rebounds: 41.08
Defense
- Total Score: 72.19
- Field Goal %: 44.51
- Three Point %: 36.70
- Free Throw %: 67.81
- Total Rebounds: 36.62
Why Bet on the Baylor Bears?
The Baylor Bears started out the season with a 1-1 record after losing their second game of the year against Washington. Since then, though, the Bears have been unstoppable, winning 21 games in a row and taking out 5 ranked teams during that run. The Bears are now 22-1 on the season and more than deserving of their current #1 seed. The Bears have been great all season, but they have been particularly good at home, winning all 11 games in their own building. While they are unbeaten there, it is worth noting that they are just 5-6 ATS in those 11 games. That said, they have gone a rather impressive 9-3 ARS in their last 12 outings and are up against a Mountaineers team that is reeling a little at the moment.
Baylor Bears 2020 NCAA Betting Trends and Stats
Betting Trends
- Baylor are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Baylor’s last 12 games.
- Baylor are 10-0 SU in their last 10 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 9 of Baylor’s last 13 games against West Virginia.
- Baylor are 11-0 SU in their last 11 games at home.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Baylor’s last 6 games when playing at home against West Virginia.
- Baylor are 20-0 SU in their last 20 games this season.
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Baylor’s last 11 games against an opponent in the Big 12 conference.
- Baylor are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games played in February.
- Baylor are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games played on a Saturday.
Team Stats
Offense
- Total Score: 71.57
- Field Goal %: 42.76
- Three Point %: 35.18
- Free Throw %: 69.89
- Total Rebounds: 38.13
Defense
- Total Score: 58.35
- Field Goal %: 38.39
- Three Point %: 30.47
- Free Throw %: 67.89
- Total Rebounds: 32.83
West Virginia vs Baylor Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
Both of these teams are known for their play on the defensive side of the court, so don’t expect to see a ton of offense go down here. I don’t see any way in which the Mountaineers take out a Baylor team yet to lose on home court.
Pick:
West Virginia Mountaineers 64 – Baylor Bears 69
