The 2024 conference schedule keeps on grinding as January continues. Now, that college football is over, college basketball season can take the NCAA spotlight! Now, it is refreshing to see a top-25 matchup on Tuesday. That means it is time to head on down to Texas. At Online Sports Betting, we look at a matchup with some bite. So, first, we preview the NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks as 14th-ranked Baylor entertains 18th-ranked BYU in Big 12 action.
- WHAT: BYU Cougars versus Baylor Bears
- WHEN: Tuesday, January 9th, 2024, 9:00 pm ET streamed on Big 12 Network/ESPN+
- WHERE: Foster Pavilion, Waco, Texas
- WHY: Big 12 Tuesday Matchup
Bettors get up for games like this. After all, the Big 12 is proving to be a wrecking ball of a conference already. The NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks look at Baylor's ability to handle expectations and an ornery BYU squad. As always, betting on the top NCAA College Men's basketball futures is not easy. After all, Baylor is starting to gain shorter odds. Here is a quick table for the Cougars and Bears tonight, courtesy of Bovada Online Sportsbook.
| NCAAM Tuesday Numbers |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| BYU | -110 | -112 | -110 |
| Baylor (-3.5) | -110 | -108 | -110 |
NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks Like BBQ And Baylor
NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks like BBQ and Baylor. So, why be so bearish on BYU? Simply, it is more a concern that some teams are just not ready for what the Big 12 entails right away. The Cougars are no exception and found out at home against Cincinnati that this is no easy rodeo. Yes, that 11-point loss to the Bearcats drew notice for all the wrong reasons.
Despite that, Baylor is a bit of an uneasy favorite on Tuesday night. There were those two straight losses which were troubling. The blowout loss to Michigan State shocked a lot of people. Baylor played better against Duke but suffered the same fate. It was one of those stretches every team has. Since then, there has been a rebound.
Let us get into this college basketball clash. Also, we take further dives into BYU and Baylor then look at some potential wagers in this top 25 err top 20 matchup.
Baylor Bounced Back Just Enough
The NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks look at how Baylor bounced back just enough. Again, Baylor dropped those two games but rallied back. Then, they headed to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State. Big 12 matchups are never easy no matter the record. Baylor battled hard and came away with a five-point victory. It was not pretty. However, a win is truly a win. That gives the Bears a three-game winning streak heading into this BYU game.
This Scott Drew team averages more than 88 points per game which ranks seventh in the nation. Despite some uneven moments, we believe Baylor can continue this momentum. One of the bigger reasons why is the Bears possess six players who can average double figures in any game. Rayj Dennis is the big distributor of the ball and averages 6.2 assists a game. He is far from the only ball mover on the team but Dennis can score too and averages almost 15 points a contest.
Those wondering about Yves Missi should not worry too much. Now, the Freshman endured some early growing pains but has established himself as a viable low-post presence on both sides of the court. He keeps growing and that frame only gets stronger. Jalen Bridges is another Forward who could provide matchup problems for BYU along with the obvious guard play.
Again, Baylor boasts four players from the Top 50 GSCI and that includes Missi at 9th by the way. If there is one matchup which looms big in this game, it is the forwards and Rayj versus the interior defense of BYU. If the point-guard gains penetration early and often, then the floodgates could open offensively for the Bears.
NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks Laying 3.5 Points?
So, what about NCAA basketball Tuesday picks laying a mere 3.5 points? The thought process focuses on Baylor having that ability to turn it on offensively while playing better defense at home. They needed overtime to get to 75 points against Oklahoma State. However, in their last home game versus a big opponent, Baylor beat Seton Hall by 18 with ease. Many thought had they kept their starters in longer that the Bears would have easily topped 80 points.
The Baylor Bears play at a different pace than BYU may be used to. Unfortunately, the Cougars got a teaser of this from Cincinnati in their first taste of Big 12 action. Arguably, Baylor is a bit of a step up from the Bearcats. If BYU does not get off to a decent start, this might be a long night.
Mark Pope makes this a harder matchup for Baylor. His coaching ability has guided BYU to a heck of a start. On the other hand, Baylor has been here before. With Baylor giving up only 3.5 points, there may be a move down to 3. Take the points here anyway. Baylor is in a nice rhythm of playing every 3-4 days. That suits the Bears just fine on Tuesday night.
What About The Over Or Under For Tonight?
Finally, NCAA Basketball Tuesday Picks considers the over or under for tonight. This game kept seeing some shifts and the latest nudged the number up to 154. That amount is interesting because both teams can play a bit of defense. Even Baylor needed overtime to get to 145 points over the weekend with Oklahoma State. Now, the likelihood of overtime is less here and that gives us hope for the Under.
Watch the BYU game prop number as well. Going under 69.5 might be an intriguing alternate bet too. In the meantime, both teams might have a tough time getting this much above 150. It will be close.
Online Sportsbook Reviews To Ponder
Hey, we ponder some online sportsbook reviews where the matchups only get bigger from here.
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