Predicting the Final Score for West Virginia's Home Matchup vs. Baylor

It's been 2,156 days since the West Virginia Mountaineers won a basketball game against the Baylor Bears. Does that drought finally come to an end today?

Here are our picks for today's game.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 72, Baylor 69

Winning on the road is tough in college basketball, particularly in this league. Baylor, however, has had no issues in Morgantown, winning nine of their 13 all-time trips to the Coliseum, including an active four-game winning streak.

The Mountaineers came out sluggish earlier this week against Kansas State and played a sloppy brand of basketball pretty much throughout the entirety of the night. While I don't expect that to be the case tonight, I do anticipate another slow start. This has been one of WVU's biggest enemies in Big 12 play. Think the Houston game, Arizona State, Arizona, and Kansas State. Three straight abysmal starts, two of which they were able to overcome and win.

It may not be as rough as some of those games, but Baylor is going to come out swinging, looking to jump out to an early lead. The truth is, their backs are against the wall at this point. They have to get red-hot and score some big-time wins to even have a slim chance of making the tournament. WVU may not be viewed as an NCAAT team right now, but it would be a big win for their resume.

WVU gets a big second half from Brenen Lorient and the Mountaineers once again storm from behind and move to 6-3 in league play.

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 69, Baylor 67

West Virginia has lost seven straight games to Baylor, including each of the last four meetings in Morgantown.

Baylor enters the matchup just 1–7 in Big 12 play and in the midst of a four-game losing streak. Under head coach Scott Drew, the Bears have traditionally ranked near the top of the league in defensive efficiency and rebounding, but those strengths have faded during conference play, as they sit in the bottom half of the league in nearly every major statistical category.

The Bears have five players averaging double figures on the season, though only guards Cameron Carr and Tounde Yessufou have consistently reached that mark against Big 12 competition.

While West Virginia hasn’t posted eye-popping offensive numbers, the Mountaineers’ defense has carried them throughout the season, ranking eighth nationally in scoring defense. Offensively, the script has flipped, as WVU ranks near the bottom of the conference in most categories outside of perimeter shooting.

West Virginia struggled to find a rhythm offensively Tuesday night but overcame a poor shooting performance to grind out a win over Kansas State. A similar formula could be in play again, though with a slight uptick on the offensive end. Expect another tight finish, with Honor Huff leading the way with a 20-plus point performance as the Mountaineers edge Baylor, 69-67.

Schuyler Callihan: West Virginia 72, Baylor 69

Christopher Hall: West Virginia 69, Baylor 67

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