Cincinnati Bearcats Basketball Slight Betting Favorites against BYU In 2025-26 Home Finale

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats are narrow home favorites to beat the BYU Cougars on Tuesday night. The betting line favors Cincinnati by 1.5 points on the consensus line with a point total set at 152.5.

The Bearcats enter the game 16-13 overall and 13-16 against the spread, while BYU is 20-9 and 12-17 against the spread, boasting a lucky 7-2 record in close games so far this year.

That luck is a big reason why they are entrenched in the NCAA Tournament as a projected seven seed despite losing three of the past five games outright. They are greatly missing veteran and second-leading scorer Richie Saunders after he tore his ACL last month.

UC's own dynamic forward, Baba Miller, is coming off another dynamic game with 11 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists against Oklahoma State.

"He's extremely unique for me as a coach," Wes Miller said on Saturday. "There are a lot of seven-footers running around the NBA with that kind of skill. But as a college coach, it's pretty unique to have somebody who is seven feet, has that kind of versatility. His passing. We noticed it this summer when he was, you know, skipping it across the floor, but I thought it's really evolved.

"And I give our staff and Bob (Mangine) a lot of credit, they've, like, embraced some skill development things with him, and he's bought into it, and his passing and facilitating has been a surprise, and it's improved as the years go on. It's extremely unique, and it's special, for sure, and he can continue to grow there. As good as it is, he can get better. But I think I look down, he had eight assists tonight. Like that, it's not a surprise for us anymore."

Cincinnati has to win this game and at least three more to make a strong case for inclusion into the dance. Wes Miller is reportedly trending towards another season in Clifton, even if Cincinnati doesn't make it. The Bearcats hold -500 odds to not make the dance on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Luck has been crushing Cincinnati in one of his most injury-riddled coaching seasons here. UC ranks 359th in Bart Torvik's Failure Unexplained By Numbers metric and 330th in KenPom's luck metric.

It's been that kind of run as Cincinnati tries to easily beat this pread and leave UKC out of any potential late-game battle.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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