Arizona (10-5) vs Baylor (11-4)
Game Info: Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 11:00 pm (McKale Memorial Center)
Betting Odds: Arizona -5.5 -- Over/Under: 149.5
The Baylor Bears and the Arizona Wildcats
Game Prediction!
The Baylor Bears and the Arizona Wildcats are both gunning for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, so this game is a big deal. Both teams are showing off their skills and strategies, making the stakes high as they try to boost their chances for the postseason. Fans can look forward to an intense showdown on the court, with both teams bringing their best in hopes of making their tournament dreams come true.
The Baylor Bears Team Preview!
Baylor started the 2024-25 season a bit rough, but they've really improved since early December. The Bears went 5-3 in their first eight games, losing to Gonzaga, Tennessee, and UConn. They did snag wins against Arkansas, Sam Houston, Tarleton State, St. John’s, and New Orleans. After that, they've been on a better 6-1 run. The only loss during this stretch was to Iowa State. Otherwise, they picked up wins against Abilene Christian, Norfolk State, Arlington Baptist, Utah, Cincinnati, and Arizona State, making it an 11-4 overall record over 15 games for the Bears.
Facing off against the Sun Devils on Saturday, the Bears were in great shape by halftime with a 32-20 lead. Baylor slipped behind 41-29 in the second half, but managed to pull off a 72-66 win in overtime. Norchad Omier led the way with 19 points and eight rebounds. VJ Edgecombe added 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Josh Ojianwuna racked up 12 points, 17 rebounds, a steal, and a block. Robert Wright came off the bench and contributed nine points, two rebounds, and two assists in 31 minutes.
The Arizona Wildcats Team Preview!
On the Arizona side, they had a bit of a rocky start this year, but since mid-December, the Wildcats have been on a roll. Arizona went 4-5 in their first nine games, managing wins against Canisius, Old Dominion, Davidson, and Southern Utah, but losing to Wisconsin, Duke, Oklahoma, and West Virginia. Since then, they've been on a six-game winning streak, taking down Samford, Central Michigan, TCU, Cincinnati, West Virginia, and UCF. This has brought them to a 10-5 record through 15 games so far.
During the UCF game over the weekend, the Wildcats were up 45-42 at halftime. Arizona pulled off a 43-38 run in the second half to secure an 88-80 win. Leading the Wildcats in scoring was Caleb Love, who racked up 16 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out six assists. Anthony Dell’Orso contributed 15 points, along with three rebounds and three assists, while Henri Veesaar came off the bench to score 14 points and snag five rebounds in 23 minutes. Tobe Awaka also added 11 points and five rebounds.
The Baylor vs Arizona Game Prediction!
The Pick: Arizona Wildcats -5 -130
I’m sticking with Arizona. The Wildcats are on fire right now, and they just had a sweet victory over UCF last weekend. In that game, Arizona shot 46.7 percent from the field, grabbed 41 rebounds, and made 16 team assists. The only downside was the 14 turnovers, which gave UCF 18 points. During this six-game winning streak, the Wildcats have scored at least 72 points in each game, hitting 88 or more in four of them.
Baylor had a bit of a rollercoaster game against a solid Arizona State team last time, but they managed to snag a win in overtime. They shot 43.1% from the field and had a 43-35 edge in rebounds, though they did cough up 16 turnovers that led to 19 points for the Sun Devils. They've scored 68 or more points in eight of their last nine games, with the only exception being 55 against a strong Iowa State team. Baylor should hold up well in this matchup, and I think they'll give Arizona a run for their money, but I still see the Wildcats taking the win in the end.
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