The Baylor Bears (19-6) travel to face off against the BYU Cougars (18-7) on Tuesday, February 20th. This game will be played at Marriott Center in Provo and televised on ESPN. Baylor is coming off a win in their previous game, while BYU is looking to get back on track from a loss to the Oklahoma State. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
Baylor Bears vs BYU Cougars
The Baylor Bears Are Coming Off A Win
After winning their last game against West Virginia by a score of 94-81, Baylor comes into this game with a record of 19-6. On the road, the Bears have gone 4-5 this season, and over their last ten games away from home, they are 5-5.
As the underdog, Baylor has gone 1-4 this season, and as the underdog, they are 5-5 over their last ten games. They have been the underdog in five games this season.
As the underdog, Baylor has gone 3-2 vs. the spread this season and 5-5 over their last 10 games as the underdog. On the road, the Bears are 5-4 ATS this year and have an ATS mark of 6-4 over their last 10 road games. Overall, Baylor has an ATS record of 15-8-1 this season and they have gone 3-0 vs. the spread in their last 3 road games.
Today’s over/under line of 155.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Baylor’s games this season (148). So far, 16 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 147 points.
The BYU Cougars Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
BYU enters this game as the favorite, as they have been in 21 of their 25 games this season. The Cougars are 18-3 when favored, and they have won three straight games at home.
Overall, BYU is 14-2 at home, and they have an average scoring margin of +21.2 points per game. On the season, they have an 18-7 record, including a 6-6 mark in Big 12 play.
BYU’s ATS record this season is 14-10-1, but they are only 1-2 vs. the spread in their last three home games. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Cougars are 5-4-1 ATS.
BYU’s over/under record for the season sits at 12-13 and today’s line of 155.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (149.9). Over their last three games, their over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total in those games is 163 points.
Baylor Offense Breakdown
Baylor’s offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 94 points against West Virginia. They had an overall field goal percentage of 53.6% and made 22/30 free throws. Leading the team in scoring was Ja’Kobe Walter with 23 points. Jayden Nunn also added 20 points for the Bears.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ja’Kobe Walter (G) | 14.5 | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| RayJ Dennis (G) | 13.4 | 3.9 | 6.6 |
| Jayden Nunn (G) | 10.8 | 2.5 | 2.2 |
BYU Offense Breakdown
In their latest game, BYU offense put up 83 points against Oklahoma State. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 43.7% and made 8 threes. For the season, the BYU offense has been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the NCAA with a field goal percentage of 47%. So far, they have hit 58% of their looks from inside the arc, and are averaging 11.5 made three’s per contest.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaxson Robinson (G) | 13.8 | 2.5 | 1.6 |
| Trevin Knell (G) | 11.6 | 3.7 | 1.5 |
| Spencer Johnson (G) | 10.7 | 5.5 | 3.3 |
Baylor Team Defense
On defense, Baylor is currently around the NCAA average in points allowed, giving up an average of 70.7 points per game. The Baylor defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 81 points and allowed West Virginia to connect on 8 threes.
BYU Team Defense
At this time, the Cougars’ defense is positioned 88th in the country, permitting 68.6 points per game. The BYU defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 93 points and allowed Oklahoma State to connect on 11 threes.
Bears vs Cougars Trends
- Baylor has played well in their previous three road games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 77 points per game while allowing 71. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-0.
- Across their ten previous home games, BYU has an ATS mark of 3-5-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 4-6 while averaging 74 points per game.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bears have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 3-7.
- In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Cougars have a straight up record of 2-1, while going 0-3 against the spread.
Bears vs Cougars Prediction
In this Cougars vs. Cougars matchup, our point-spread bet is on the Cougars at -3. While we project the Cougars to win 73-72, our recommendation is to bet on the Bears for the point-spread.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 155.5 and given that our model is projecting 145 points between the teams, we like the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 20, 2024 Baylor Bears, BYU Cougars