The Cincinnati Bearcats and Morehead State Eagles have just one game under their belts this season, and it couldn't have started any differently for either program. They have met again in program history, with the Bearcats taking a 69-61 victory in 2014. It's time to continue our College Basketball odds series with a Morehead State-Cincinnati prediction and pick.
Morehead State has chosen to start the season with a challenging schedule before facing teams that are more on their level. Their first game against Louisville showed they may not be ready for these matchups, as the Cardinals dominated them 93-45. Morehead State entered the half at a 41-14 deficit, which was impossible to come back from as 22-point underdogs. The Eagles' leading scorer was Kenny White, who had 14 points and six rebounds. No other players had more than six points, which led to their low-scoring total.
Cincinnati's offense had a breakout start in its first game of the season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Bearcats entered the game as 36.5-point favorites and quickly covered the spread, 109-54. Cincinnati's defense was impressive, but six players scoring double-digit points were the key to its victory. Senior Simas Lukosius was integral to Cincinnati's success, hitting eight of ten shots to lead the team with 20 points. The six-foot-eight guard will be crucial to exploiting mismatches for the Bearcats this season.
Here are the Morehead State-Cincinnati College Basketball Odds, courtesy of FanDuel
College Basketball Odds: Morehead State-Cincinnati Odds
Morehead State: +28 (-110)
Moneyline: +3500
Cincinnati: -28 (-110)
Moneyline: -20000
Over: 142.5 (-110)
Under: 142.5 (-110)
How to Watch Morehead State vs. Cincinnati
Time: 7 PM ET / 4 PM ET
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Morehead State Will Cover The Spread/Win
Morehead State may have lost its matchup with Louisville, but it bounced back at home on Wednesday with an 89-48 victory over Boyce College. The win was a good confidence builder, but they have never lost to a non-Division I opponent since 1992. It's difficult to say that Morehead State can succeed as much as it did against the National Christian College Athletic Association. Still, it was promising to see Tyler Brelsford lead the team with 16 points.
Why Cincinnati Will Cover The Spread/Win
Cincinnati usually fares well in the opening portions of the season when their schedule is more straightforward. Some elite teams start slowly before getting into their conference schedule, but the Bearcats haven't lost any early season games over the past few seasons, and it continued in their first game this year with a 55-point victory. The Bearcats had a poor Big 12 showing last season, which put them on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament and an NIT Tournament berth. They lost in the quarterfinal to Indiana State, but the voters feel that the Bearcats are ready for a bounceback this season, with an early No. 20 ranking.
The Bearcats perform well at home, finishing with a 16-5 record last season despite a 22-15 mark overall. They've never had a problem offensively, as they averaged 74.7 points per game last season. If the Bearcats can continue that in this game, the Eagles will have trouble keeping up at the offensive end of the floor.
Final Morehead State-Cincinnati Prediction & Pick
Morehead State's result against Boyce College doesn't give me much reason to believe in them against Cincinnati. The Bearcats have been good against inferior competition over the past few seasons, and they should continue that in this matchup. The Bearcats offense looks like a well-balanced group, and the Eagles won't be able to keep up at Fifth Third Arena.
Final Morehead State-Cincinnati Prediction & Pick: Cincinnati -28 (-110)
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