Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Big Betting Favorites Over Western Carolina To Open 2025-26 Season

Cincinnati is expected to roll in the season opener.

Oct 24, 2025; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks forward Malique Twin (12) drives against Cincinnati Bearcats forward Tyler McKinley (24) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 89-61. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team are expected to be big betting favorites over Western Carolina to open the 2025-26 season on Monday night. UC is currently a 20.5-point favorite with a point total sitting at 142.5.

Cincinnati was a rough spread team last season, going 15-18-2 overall as they try to hammer more teams this season and impress the betting models. The Catamounts were horrific last season, going 8-22 overall and just 10-17-2 ATS. 

WCU is 204th nationally on KenPom entering the game, while Cincinnati is 36th in the preseason metric.

UC is rolling out a new lineup tomorrow, but should have no problem with WCU as they try to gel quickly ahead of a Nov. 11 home clash against in-state rival Dayton. 

"That's all you guys have to go on. I'll say this. I've pleaded with anybody who will listen to me. Could we do four or five of those in the preseason?" Miller said at his preseason press conference. "Like, how much better would college basketball be as a product on the court the first day? Because those are practices for our team.

"And I would say 99% of coaches approach those the way that we do, we get more out of one exhibition than we do seven straight practices, like they're so valuable. And so I wish we got to do four or five of them. And I think we would be better off as college basketball when the first week started, the basketball would be better."

The Catamounts are on a five-game losing streak entering this season opener at Fifth Third Arena. Wes Miller's team tips off the contest at 7 p.m. ET Monday night.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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