The Cincinnati Bearcats and the Baylor Bears continue Big 12 Conference men’s basketball action on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, in Waco, Texas.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. central on ESPN+. The Bearcats (10-3, 0-2 in Big 12) and the Bears (9-4, 1-1 in Big 12) are both currently unranked.
Both Cincinnati and Baylor are coming off losses in their second league game of the season to varying degrees. Then-ranked No. 16 Cincinnati dropped their second-straight game after losing just one matchup in their first 10, with a 72-67 loss to Arizona, while then-ranked No. 25 Baylor lost on the road in Ames, Iowa, to Iowa State.
Here is a preview of Tuesday’s game.
How to Watch Cincinnati vs. Baylor
Date: Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN+
Site: Foster Pavillion, Waco, Texas
Cincinnati vs. Baylor Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Baylor -5
Current Line: Baylor -5.5
Over/Under: 138
Cincinnati vs. Baylor Predictions
In Baylor’s loss to Iowa State, the team had a bench that included just seven active players. Scott Drew’s team has been dealing with injuries to multiple key contributors, which has put the team in a tough spot. Regardless, the team is 1-1 in conference play with a blowout win over Utah and a blowout loss to No. 3 Iowa State.
The team has a total of five athletes scoring in double figures, including Norchad Omier, Robert Wright III, Jeremy Roach, VJ Edgecombe, and Jayden Nunn, all of whom combine for 63.7 points per game. Omier, a former member of the Miami Hurricanes, also leads the team in rebounds with 10.8 per outing.
On the other hand, Cincinnati has had a brutal start to conference play. The team lost to Wildcats in both of their first two games, with a 70-67 loss to Kansas State in Manhattan and a 72-67 loss to Arizona at home. Their first four games of the 2024-25 regular season have been one of the toughest combinations of anyone in the league, facing off against K-State, Arizona, Baylor, and No. 11 Kansas.
The Bearcats have found production from within, with their two leading scores being returners from the previous season. Simas Lukosius and Dan Skillings Jr. have both shown up in flashes this winter, with the duo averaging 26 points per game. Texas transfer Dillion Mitchell has also made a name for himself under Wes Miller, with a near double-double nightly at 11.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
In a matchup where both formerly ranked teams are looking to jump back into the win column, the game should be a classic Big 12 tight contest down the stretch.
Baylor 85, Cincinnati 79
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Baylor (67.6% Chance of Winning)
Sports Illustrated: Baylor 74, Cincinnati 69
