West Virginia vs. Baylor Picks, Predictions, Odds

Although the West Virginia Mountaineers are currently in the NCAA Tournament according to Joe Lunardi's Bracketology, there is a growing question over how much credit they should be given for playing in the Big 12.

This conference is the best in college basketball, but WVU is just 4-8 in conference play and was blown out by 34 points in a loss to Texas over the weekend. The Mountaineers are 5-8 over their last 13 games, and another loss to Baylor on Monday night will only increase the question regarding their worthiness for March Madness.

The Baylor Bears will welcome the West Virginia Mountaineers to the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas on Monday, February 13, 2023. This game is scheduled to tip off at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears Betting Prediction

Baylor won the first meeting between these teams back on January 11. Keyonte George had 32 points in a whistle-happy game that saw a total of 53 fouls and 69 free throw attempts. We shouldn't see as many stoppages this time, but WVU is still learning the trap defense that Bob Huggins modified in the offseason and is one of the most penalized teams in the country. The Bears only had 10 turnovers in their first meeting against the Mountaineers as their veteran guards were able to handle WVU's pressure, and they should be able to lead the team to an even larger victory at home in this one.

Score Prediction: Baylor 81 West Virginia 67
Best Bet: Baylor -7

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears Betting Odds

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears Betting Resources

Date: Monday, Feb. 12, 2023
TV-Time: ESPN2, 9:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Ferrell Center
Location: Waco, Texas
Matchup
Expert Picks

Big 12 Tournament Odds

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Baylor Bears Betting Stats

West Virginia Mountaineers
SU: 15-10
ATS: 11-13-1
O/U: 17-8
PPG: 76.8
OPPG: 70.2

Baylor Bears
SU: 19-6
ATS: 13-11-1
O/U: 13-12
PPG: 78.8
OPPG: 69.1

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS), Over-Under (O/U)
Points Per Game (PPG), Opponents Points Per Game (OPPG)

West Virginia Mountaineers Betting Analysis

This West Virginia team is one of the most efficient teams on offense in the country. The Mountaineers don't shoot threes that well, but they draw a lot of contact and get to the line often. Additionally, WVU is solid on the offensive glass, getting a second chance on a third of its missed shots.

Well-traveled Erik Stevenson is playing for his fourth team in four years, and he is the leading scorer for WVU. Stevenson is averaging 14.2 PPG, and he is not afraid to let it fly from distance. He is shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc on over 130 attempts this season. Tre Mitchell and Seth Wilson are the other perimeter shooters to watch on the Mountaineers, but they are pulling up from range nearly half as many times as Stevenson.

The Mountaineers have three players that rank in the top 70 nationally in fouls drawn per 40 minutes. Jimmy Bell is a big body that bangs down low, and he grabs a ton of offensive rebounds and is subsequently fouled quite a bit. Guards Joe Toussaint and Kedrian Johnson draw a lot of contact too, and they have taken more free throws than anyone else on the team. Conversely, all three players also commit an average of four fouls per 40 minutes, but they pale in comparison to teammate Mohamed Wague who is committing a whopping 9.3 fouls per 40.

Baylor Bears Betting Analysis

The Baylor Bears have the top offense in the country per Ken Pomeroy. I went against them when the Bears took on TCU this Saturday, but Baylor roared back from a 10-point deficit in the final nine minutes to win 72-68. I won't be going against Baylor this time as the Bears are at home where they have a total of two losses by three points this season.

Keyonte George is the only underclassmen that handles the ball a considerable amount for the Bears. George has some turnover issues as we usually see with freshman guards, but he does an excellent job of creating opportunities and getting off quality shots. He is the top scorer on Baylor with 16.9 PPG, and he gets to the free throw line often.

If George struggles with the pressure, the Bears have two very experienced guards that can handle the rock in Adam Flagler and L.J. Cryer. Flagler leads the Bears with 4.9 APG, and he is making 41.7% of his threes. As for Cryer, there were rumors that he might miss the TCU game due to injury after leaving the Oklahoma game early in mid-week action. Cryer put those doubts to rest though by scoring 23 points in 36 minutes against the Horned Frogs.