The Baylor Bears (26-3, 15-2 Big 12) visit the West Virginia Mountaineers (20-10, 8-9) Saturday at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va., for a 1 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Baylor-West Virginia odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.
Baylor at West Virginia: Three things you need to know
- After sitting atop the USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll for several weeks, Baylor has gone 2-2 and dropped to No. 4. The Bears needed overtime to get past the unranked Texas Tech Red Raiders 71-68 Monday at home in their last game.
- The Mountaineers recently snapped a three-game skid with a 77-71 win Tuesday at an under-.500 Iowa State Cyclones squad. West Virginia is 2-6 straight up and against the spread in its last 8 games.
- Baylor took the first regular-season matchup 70-59 at home Feb. 15, led by G Jared Butler’s 21 points. The Bears covered as a 5-point favorite, and the game finished Under the projected total of 130. G Taz Sherman scored a season-high 20 points off the bench to lead the Mountaineers.
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Baylor at West Virginia: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:25 a.m. ET.
Prediction
West Virginia 64, Baylor 59
Moneyline (ML)
AVOID. West Virginia (-110) is 13-2 at home. Baylor (-110) is 8-1 on the road with the one setback occurring to unranked TCU – the Bears were 9.5-point favorites. I’m going to PASS and focus on the spread.
Against the Spread (ATS)
WEST VIRGINIA -1 (-106) is the STRONGEST PLAY. The Mountaineers’ two home losses were to top-ranked Kansas, which was No. 3 at the time, and to unranked Oklahoma as an 8-point favorite last Saturday. Granted, Baylor +1 (-115) has only one loss on the road – to unranked TCU as a 9.5-point favorite Feb. 29 – but I expect West Virginia coach Bob Huggins to have his team ready in front of a raucous home crowd.
New to sports betting? Every $1.06 wagered on the Mountaineers’ spread will profit $1 if they win by 2 or more points. A 1-point WVU win is a push and you get your money back.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 129 (-106) is the way to go. Baylor’s defense ranks sixth in the country, allowing just 59.6 points per game, while West Virginia yields just 62.4 PPG to rank 16th. The Mountaineers are one of the best Under teams in the country, posting an 8-21-1 O/U record this season. They’re also 1-8-1 O/U in their last 10 games.
Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Johnny’s record since Feb. 1: 16-7. Strongest plays: 9-3.
Johnny’s record since Dec. 1: 53-32-2. Strongest plays: 30-12.
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