WVU vs. Baylor, a highly anticipated matchup between two Big 12 rivals, is set to take place on Tuesday after multiple postponements. This late-season clash between two of the top six teams in the latest media poll presents a great opportunity for men’s college basketball betting in West Virginia.
Despite being a 4.5-point underdog at BetMGM Sportsbook WV and other West Virginia sports betting apps, the Mountaineers have the potential to gain significant insights for March Madness from this game. It serves as a crucial litmus test to gauge the performance and progress of coach Bob Huggins’ team.
How the spread for WVU vs. Baylor is shaping up
Since this is the teams’ first encounter this season, there is no previous data to reference regarding their performance against each other. Baylor has emerged victorious in three out of their last five games, but their record in Morgantown is 1-2. Additionally, upon closer examination, West Virginia University (WVU) has consistently won the second half in their previous five matches against Baylor at the WVU Coliseum.
Baylor, with a record of five wins in the last six games, suffered a recent loss against Kansas in Lawrence. Despite the setback, West Virginia also boasts a solid record of five wins in their last six games, with their only loss coming in a closely contested double-overtime game against the then-12th-ranked Oklahoma, by a mere single point.
When betting on the spread for this game, bettors must determine if Baylor’s recent disappointing performance was a rare occurrence or a potential indication of their future performance. Throughout the season, the Bears have successfully covered a spread of this magnitude in almost 95% of their games. Moreover, Saturday’s defeat not only marked Baylor’s first loss on the road this season but also their first loss overall.
In West Virginia, the average margin of defeat for home games this season is only 2.7 points. On the other hand, the Bears have an average margin of victory of 16.2 points in their six road wins. Therefore, the spread between these two teams is not evenly balanced. It strongly supports WVU’s ability to protect their home court and maintain their momentum.
When evaluating the overall score for this game, momentum becomes a factor. Once again, bettors will need to determine whether Baylor will swiftly regain their previous performance or if the Mountaineers have opportunistically caught up with them.
Bearish or bullish on the total for Tuesday?
The total points line for this game at William Hill Sportsbook WV is set at 149. The combined average score for both teams is precisely 162 points. On average, games played at the WVU Coliseum this season tally up to 147 points. Out of the 23 games played by West Virginia, 11 have surpassed the 149 total points mark, whereas the Bears have only done so in seven out of their 19 games.
The total points scored in the previous game for either team did not reach that mark. Nevertheless, WVU played against a significantly weaker TCU team, so they didn’t need to push themselves too hard. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, bettors will need to make their own judgments about Baylor’s recent performance.
Before Saturday, in the three games the Bears played against ranked opponents, they averaged 76 points. Among those games, two took place on the road. On the other hand, the Mountaineers have averaged 84.5 points in home games against ranked opponents this season.
Despite Baylor’s consistent impressive performance throughout the season, WVU has shown strong performance at home and may currently be at their peak in basketball. When it comes to West Virginia sports betting for this game, the crucial question is whether the Bears will quickly recover or continue to experience the same difficulties that hindered them during the previous weekend.
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