The BYU Cougars (12-2) travel to face off against the Baylor Bears (12-2) on Tuesday, January 9th. This game will be played at Foster Pavilion in Waco 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 Cincinnati. Tip-off is set for 9:00 ET.
BYU Cougars vs Baylor Bears
The BYU Cougars Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
BYU comes into this game as the underdog, as they are 12-2 this season and have a record of 0-1 in the Big 12. Their average scoring margin on the road is +17.7, and they are 2-1 on the road this season.
Over their last ten road games, BYU has gone 3-7. Their most recent game was a 71-60 loss to Cincinnati.
As the underdog this season, BYU has an ATS record of 0-0 and an overall ATS mark of 11-3. On the road, the Cougars are 2-1 vs. the spread and have gone 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 road games.
So far this season, the over/under record for BYU games is 5-9. The average scoring total in their games is 150.4 points, which is lower than the average over/under line in their games of 151.7 points. Today’s over/under line of 154 is higher than the average scoring total in their games. Over their last three games, their over/under record is 2-1 with an average scoring total of 151 points.
The Baylor Bears Are Coming Off A Win
When playing at home this season, the Baylor Bears have been dominant, as they have won all nine of their games by an average of 27.6 points per game. On the year, they are 12-2, including a 12-2 mark outside of Big 12 play.
Over their last 10 games at home, the Bears are 10-0, and they have won their last two games overall. In their most recent game, they defeated Cornell by a score of 98-79.
As the favorite this season, Baylor has gone 7-3 against the spread. In their last 10 games as the favorite, the Bears are 8-2 vs. the spread. At home, Baylor has an 8-1 ATS mark this year and has gone 8-1 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Today’s over/under line of 154 is higher than the average over/under line in Baylor’s games this season (150.2). So far, the over/under record for the Bears is 8-4. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 158 points and their OU record over their last 10 games is 6-4.
BYU Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the BYU offense ended with 60 points against Cincinnati. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 32.8% and made 13 threes. Currently leading the team in scoring is Jaxson Robinson who comes into today’s matchup averaging 15.2. Trevin Knell also heads into the game with a PPG average of 12.9.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaxson Robinson (G) | 15.2 | 2.8 | 1.4 |
| Trevin Knell (G) | 12.9 | 4.0 | 1.9 |
| Noah Waterman (F) | 11.4 | 6.7 | 1.0 |
Baylor Offense Breakdown
In their recent matchup, the Baylor offense ended with 98 points against Cornell. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 55.4% and made 14 threes. The team’s top scorer is Ja’Kobe Walter, who enters today’s matchup with an average of 15.3, while RayJ Dennis also carries a PPG average of 14.2 into the game.
| Name | PPG | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ja’Kobe Walter (G) | 15.3 | 4.4 | 1.6 |
| RayJ Dennis (G) | 14.2 | 3.9 | 6.2 |
| Langston Love (G) | 11.0 | 1.8 | 1.1 |
BYU Team Defense
So far this season, the BYU defense has been performing well, ranking 15th in the country at 62.2 points allowed per contest. Against Cincinnati in their most recent game, the BYU defense gave up a total of 71 points while allowing Cincinnati to hit 32% of their shots.
Baylor Team Defense
So far, the Bears’ defense is ranked 125th in the country at 69.4 points per contest. Baylor’s three-point defense is currently 30th in the country at 5.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 40.9% of their shots vs. Baylor.
Cougars vs Bears Trends
- Through their last ten road games, BYU has an ATS record of just 5-4-1. However, their overall record was 3-7 while averaging 74 points per game.
- Across their three previous home games, Baylor has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 69 points per game.
- Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, BYU has an ATS mark of 2-0-1 while going 0-3 straight up.
- As the betting favorite, the Bears have an ATS record of 3-0 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 3-0.
Cougars vs Bears Prediction
We’re calling a win for the Bears, with a final score of 79-65, and we’re taking them to cover the spread. Our recommendation is to bet on the Bears at -3.5.
Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 154 and given that our model is projecting 144 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:January 9, 2024 Baylor Bears, BYU Cougars, Teams