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USA Today Sports Media Group
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Pete Fiutak

West Virginia vs Baylor Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

West Virginia vs Baylor prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Monday, January 31


West Virginia vs Baylor How To Watch

Date: Monday, January 31
Game Time: 9:00 ET
Venue: Ferrell Center, Waco, TX
How To Watch: ESPN
Record: West Virginia (13-7), Baylor (18-3)
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West Virginia vs Baylor Game Preview


Why West Virginia Will Win

The Mountaineers have got to keep this slow, low scoring, and force Baylor into enough mistakes to matter.

That didn’t happen the first time in a 77-68 Bear win, but that was partly because the three point defense didn’t show up. Baylor hit 12 from three, didn’t have enough turnovers to make a huge difference, and it was better on the boards.

The Mountaineers will block plenty of shots and make things tough on the inside, and they’ll get plenty of points on the free throw line. They need to make this a free throw contest and force the Bears into at least 15 turnovers.

If Baylor gets called for 19 fouls like it did in the loss to Alabama, West Virginia has a shot.

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Why Baylor Will Win

You don’t think that loss to Alabama will get the team fired up?

Baylor needs to run, keep moving, get transition points, and not worry about whether or not West Virginia can keep up.

The Mountaineers might be able to play nasty D at times, but they’re not great on the defensive glass and just don’t move the ball around well enough.

More than anything, the team just doesn’t score.

It’s struggling to get close to 70 points – it’s not doing it – over the recent losing run, and it has only been able push to 70 or more eight times. It’s gone 7-1 when it does, and it’s 6-6 when it doesn’t.

Baylor’s defense allowed 70 or more just four times with the 87 given up to Alabama an aberration. So …

What’s Going To Happen

Expect a relatively low scoring game – especially on the West Virginia side.

Baylor will clamp down hard after having such a difficult time doing it in Tuscaloosa, West Virginia won’t be sharp enough late in the first half, and it’ll be a sixth straight loss and the fifth straight road defeat.

West Virginia vs Baylor Prediction, Lines

Baylor 75, West Virginia 66
Line: Baylor -14, o/u: 137
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 3

5: Patrick Mahomes first half for 29:55
1: Patrick Mahomes for the final 30:05

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