Score Predictions for West Virginia at Baylor

We make our predictions for the Mountaineers' Saturday afternoon matchup against the Bears

Christopher Hall | Feb 15, 2025

West Virginia University Basketball / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

The West Virginia Mountaineers (15-9, 6-7) are on the road to take on the Baylor Bears (15-9, 7-6) Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. EST, and the action will broadcast on ESPN2.

Schuyler Callihan: Baylor 73, West Virginia 62

West Virginia University guard Toby Okani / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

I can't trust this team to win on the road right now. Heck, it's hard to even trust them at home at this point. Their defense is what carried them to so much success early on in the season, but it hasn't been anywhere near as good of late.

Baylor presents a lot of challenges offensively with a dynamic inside-out punch featuring Norchad Omeir (15.7 ppg, 10.3 rpg) and VJ Edgecombe (15 ppg), who is one of the top prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft.

Miserably slow starts have also become a theme for WVU on the road, and that has to be Darian DeVries' biggest concern coming into today's game. If they find themselves trailing by double digits at any point in the first half, it could get ugly.

I have a feeling the Bears will lead this one from nearly wire to wire as West Virginia's offense plummets to its pre-BYU self.

Prediction record: 15-9

Christopher Hall: Baylor 76, West Virginia 67

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

West Virginia was 3-7 at the Ferrell center but will make its first trip to Foster Pavilion on Saturday. The Mountaineers have struggled in the series against Baylor with a 7-18 record against the Bears.

Baylor returned guards Jeremy Roach and Langston Love within the last three games but lost forward Josh Ojianwuna to a season-ending injury two games ago.

Forward Norchad Omier is making his case for Big 12 Player of the Year and is the only player in the conference averaging a double double, 15.7 points and a league-leading 10.3 rebounds per game, while guard V.J. Edgecombe has averaged 17.7 ppg in conference action.

The Bears have shot over 53% from the field the last two games, counting the loss at Houston on Monday.

West Virginia will need a big defensive effort to steal the conference road win. The Mountaineers are 14-2 when holding teams to under 44% shooting from the floor, but when opponents shot above the mark, WVU is 1-7 with the most recent loss coming on Tuesday after BYU was 45.5% following a 55.6% second half performance.

The Mountaineers have received production outside of senior guard Javon Small the last three games, although they are 1-2 during the stretch. Small has been held under his season average in points but has combined for 17 assists the last two games. Senior guard Joseph Yesufu has stepped up and has come off the bench to averaged 13.0 ppg the last four games.

Although, the Mountaineers are finding some rhythm on offense, it’s been the final minutes of action where they have fallen short and were held scoreless the final two minutes in the loss to BYU. I suspect this trend will continue unless the defense can keep the Bears from lighting up the scoreboard in a place they average 87.5 points per game. Baylor wins 76-67.

Prediction record: 15-9

Schuyler Callihan: Baylor 73, West Virginia 62

Christopher Hall: Baylor 76, West Virginia 67

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