The Oklahoma Sooners (12-11) visit the No. 14 Baylor Bears (17-6) on Wednesday night! Action tips off at 9:00 p.m. ET. Below we continue our College Basketball odds series with an Oklahoma-Baylor prediction, pick, and how to watch.
Oklahoma has lost five of their last six games and sits at 2-8 and in ninth place in the Big 12. The Sooners covered 46% of their games while 52% went over the projected point total. Baylor has won seven of their last eight gamers and sits at 6-4 and in fifth place in the Big 12. The Bears covered 50% of their games while 52% went over. This will be the second meeting of the season between Oklahoma and Baylor. The Bears took home a tight 62-60 victory in Norman a few weeks back.
Here are the Oklahoma-Baylor college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Oklahoma-Baylor Odds
Oklahoma: +9.5 (-110)
Baylor: -9.5 (-110)
Over: 140.5 (-110)
Under: 140.5 (-110)
How To Watch Oklahoma vs. Baylor
TV: ESPNU
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT
*Watch college basketball LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Oklahoma Could Cover The Spread
Oklahoma had a solid non-conference slate and was 9-3 heading into conference play. They picked up wins over Seton Hall and Florida in the early part of the season before dismantling No. 3 Alabama in late January. However, they've struggled mightily in Big 12 play with their lone wins coming at Texas Tech and at home against West Virginia. That being said, the Sooners still fare decently within the advanced rating. Oklahoma ranks No. 55 in KenPom and No. 60 in NET. While they have gone 6-0 in Quad 3 and Quad 4 matchups, the Sooners are just 6-11 in Quad 1 and Quad 2 games. As a result, Oklahoma does not currently project to make the NCAA Tournament.
Oklahoma struggles offensively but is a stout defensive unit. The Sooners allow just 66.3 PPG – 73rd nationally. They are especially strong at defending the three, allowing just 5.3 threes per game which ranks 11th in the country. While they don't score much, the Sooners are efficient on the offensive end. Oklahoma ranks 35th in the country with a 47% shooting percentage.
Offensively, Oklahoma is led by senior guard Grant Sherfield. A transfer from Nevada, Sherfield averages a team-high 16.9 PPG while shooting 43%. The 6'2″ guard is a lethal three-point shooter and averages 2.5 made threes per game while shooting 43% from deep. After a rough stretch that included a 3/10 shooting performance against Baylor, Sherfield has been red-hot of late. Over his last three games, Sherfield has averaged 20 points per game despite the team going 1-2 in that stretch.
Why Baylor Could Cover The Spread
Baylor started the season strong and entered Big 12 play with just two losses. They notably took down No. 7 UCLA, No. 16 Gonzaga, and Arkansas and both of their losses came to Top 25 teams. Although they started 0-3 in conference play, Baylor has rebounded nicely and has won seven of their last eight games coming into tonight. Additionally, they hold a stellar 11-2 record at home. The advanced metrics look kindly on the Bears as they rank No. 13 in KenPom and No. 11 in NET. Baylor is 10-0 in Quad 2, 3, and 4 matchups and has seven Quad 1 wins – tied for fourth-most in the country. As a result, Baylor currently projects as a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Baylor features an elite offense that ranks 23rd nationally in scoring with 78.9 PPG. They do a great job moving the ball and finding open shots, averaging the 32nd-most assists with 15.4 APG. Those extra passes lead to a ton of open threes for the Bears. Consequently, Baylors ranks 23rd in threes with 9.2 made per game. Perhaps the strongest part of Baylor's offense is their ability to draw fouls at the rim as Baylor ranks 14th in made free throws. Additionally, Baylor is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the nation, ranking 14th in offensive rebound rate.
Baylor features a balanced offensive attack as three players average at least 14 points per game. Projected NBA lottery pick Keyonte George leads the team with 17.2 PPG. The freshman phenom contributes outside of the scoring category as well, averaging 4.5 RPG and 3.1 APG. He is coming off a stellar three-game stretch where he scored 24, 17, and 17 points.
Baylor is hardly a one-man show, however, as they have a pair of upperclassman guards who are more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard. Senior Adam Flagler averages 15.1 PPG and 5.0 APG, while LJ Cryer is right behind him with 14.3 PPG.
Final Oklahoma-Baylor Prediction & Pick
Baylor barely squeezed out a win against Oklahoma in their previous matchup, but that was nearly a month ago. Since then, Oklahoma has free-fallen in conference play while Baylor seems to be rounding into form.
Final Oklahoma-Baylor Prediction & Pick: Baylor -9.5 (-110)
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