Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET, No. 1 the Arizona Wildcats host the Cincinnati Bearcats in a Big 12 matchup. Arizona has a perfect 18-0 record and 5-0 in conference play, while Cincinnati is 10-8, with a 2-3 record in the Big 12. The Wildcats are 5-0 against the Bearcats in their all-time series, but this is the first contest between the teams at McKale Center.
Check out my best bet for tonight’s Arizona-Cincinnati contest. On DraftKings Sportsbook, the Wildcats are a -13.5-point favorite while the game’s over/under is set at 151. points.
Cincinnati vs. Arizona (9:00 p.m. ET)
Even though Cincinnati is 10-8, it is currently on a two-game winning streak and is coming off a big nine-point victory over No. 2 Iowa State. Before their recent winning streak, Cincinnati went 4-8 in a 12-game span. Baba Miller is the Bearcats’ leading scorer, as he averages 13.2 points along with 10.8 rebounds per contest. Six of Cincinnati’s top eight scorers are guards. Day Day Thomas averages 12.6 points, but dropped 19 points against Iowa State on Saturday.
On KenPom, Arizona is No. 2, while Cincinnati is No. 53 overall. Cincinnati is an elite defensive team, with the seventh-best defensive rating, but has the 178th offensive rating. Arizona’s offensive rating is sixth, and its defensive rating is fourth-best.
Arizona possesses one of, if not the deepest, rotations in college basketball. Freshman Koa Peat leads the way with 14.7 points and 5.8 rebounds, while Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley also average over 14 points. Bradley, the veteran point guard, is coming off a performance with 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists against UCF. Arizona’s starting center, Motiejus Krivas, had an elite outing of 17 points and 12 rebounds in his previous contest.
The Wildcaty have won two of their previous three games by seven points each, with one by three. Before that, Arizona won 10 consecutive games by at least 18 points. In this contest, Arizona and Cincinnati are both excellent defensive teams, but the difference is the Wildcats ‘ tremendous offense. The Wildcats average the most points per game (90.6) in the Big 12, while Cincinnati scores the second fewest in the conference (74.1). At home, Arizona has excelled, and they should be able to break down the Bearcats overtime with their offensive versatility.
