Arizona Wildcats vs Cincinnati Bearcats NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25
Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Wildcats and Bearcats. The game is starting at 2:30 ET on ESPN2, and it’s hosted by the Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, OH. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 147.5 points, and Cincinnati is favored by -2.5 vs. Arizona in a Big 12 conference matchup.
ARIZONA WILDCATS VS CINCINNATI BEARCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Cincinnati Bearcats -2.5
This game will be played at Fifth Third Arena at 2:30 ET on Saturday, January 4th.
WHY BET THE CINCINNATI BEARCATS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 80-66 in favor of the Bearcats.
- Not only will Cincinnati pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.
Will the Wildcats Pull Through as the Away Underdog?
Arizona improved to 7-5 on the season with a 90-81 home win over TCU on Monday. The Wildcats were -14.5 favorites going into the game but didn’t cover the spread.
Arizona led 41-37 at halftime and scored 49 points in the 2nd half while allowing 44. The total points for the game reached 171, surpassing the O/U line of 145.5.
Arizona put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 56.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 62.1%. They were dominant inside, hitting 72.2% of their two-point attempts, while going 7/22 from beyond the arc at 31.8%.
Caleb Love led the way with 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 64.7% overall and 45.5% from three. Noah Reynolds added 23 points and 7 assists, hitting 50% from deep, and the Wildcats finished with 28 assists as a team.
Arizona’s defense struggled in their last game, giving up 81 points on 56% shooting from the field. The Wildcats allowed the opposition to hit 26 of their 36 two-point attempts, a 72% success rate.
From beyond the arc, Arizona’s opponents shot 31%, making 7 of 22 three-point attempts. They also went 17/21 from the free-throw line, and Arizona gave up 11 offensive rebounds.
Does Cincinnati Have What it Takes at Home?
Cincinnati Bearcats Recent Game/Games
Cincinnati fell to 10-2 on the season after a 70-67 road loss to Kansas State on Monday. The Bearcats, who were -3.5 favorites, didn’t cover the spread, and the total points of 137 fell just under the O/U line of 139.5.
After trailing 31-29 at halftime, Cincinnati scored 38 points in the 2nd half but allowed 39, leading to the narrow defeat.
Cincinnati put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 46.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 36.8% from three-point range, connecting on 7 of 19 attempts, while shooting 51.2% on two-pointers. Their free-throw shooting was a weak spot, as they made just 4 of 7 attempts for 57.1%.
Coleman Hawkins led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.8% overall and 60.0% from deep. Dan Skillings Jr. added 18 points, hitting 4 of 8 from three, and Dug McDaniel contributed 17 points on 53.8% shooting. Dillon Mitchell also had a strong game, grabbing 11 rebounds and scoring 15 points, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.
Even though Cincinnati gave up 70 points, they held their opponent to 43% shooting from the field, with 24 made baskets on 55 attempts. Inside the arc, Cincinnati allowed 18 two-point field goals on 35 attempts, a 51% shooting rate.
From three-point range, Cincinnati’s defense limited their opponent to 6 made threes on 20 attempts, a 30% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 16 of their attempts, shooting 80%. Cincinnati gave up 7 offensive rebounds in the game.