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(NCAAB) Baylor vs. West Virginia,
Point Spread: 7.00 | -110.00 Baylor (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 7.00 | -110.00 Baylor (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Baylor opened the season unranked but on Monday, found itself atop the AP poll for the first time in school history (59th different school to be ranked No. 1, since the AP poll began back in the 1948-49 season). However, it's no rest for the weary for the 15-0 (3-0 in Big 12 play) Bears, who visit Morgantown to take on the No. 10 Mountaineers, who are 13-2 (2-1 in Big 12 play).
Baylor:The Bears were picked fifth in the league's preseason poll after losing NBA first-round pick Taurean Prince and top rebounder Rico Gathers but ascended to No. 1 in the AP Monday. "Not many people get a chance to be ranked No. 1, and that's a great honor," Baylor head coach Scott Drew said. "Baylor Nation deserves it, because they helped us get here. We're glad to make them proud and happy and give them something to be excited about. Big picture, though, we know no one is going to remember who is ranked No. 1 the first week of January." In fact, top-ranked Kansas came to Morgantown last January and lost 74-63. The Bears rank No. 4 in scoring defense (58.3 PPG), sixth in FG defense (37.3%) and 13th in blocks, most of those by the 7-0 Lual-Acuil and 6-10 Motley. Motley (15.8 & 9.4), Lual-Acuil (10.7 & 7.1) and the 6-8 Maston (8.2 & 4.9) make for a formidable frontcourt, teaming with guards Lecomte (11.8 & 4.9 APG), a Miami transfer, and Freeman (11.10.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers have won nine of their last 10 games with the only loss by one point, 77-76 in OT, at Texas Tech last week. Sophomore Esa Ahmad (12.9 & 4.9) is a 6-8 forward and leads a well-balanced attack that features eight players averaging 6.9 points or more. He's joined in double digits by guards Daxter Miles Jr. (11.1), who is shooting 45.2 percent from three-point range, and Jevon Carter (10.5), who averages a team best 4.7 assists plus ranks fourth nationally with an average of 3.1 steals per game. West Virginia leads the nation in turnovers forced (24.3), steals (12.8), turnover margin (plus-13.7) and scoring margin (plus-28.7), averaging 90.1 PPG (5th) while allowing 61.4 PPG (16th).
The pick: This contest comes just two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the last time a No. 1-ranked team visited Morgantown. West Virginia knocked off then top-rated Kansas, 74-63, last January and veteran head coach Bob Huggins knows a "repeat performance like last year's Kansas upset, will be tough sledding. "You can't simulate their length," Huggins said. "When you can pretty much touch hands across the floor, you're going to cover some ground. They can make mistakes and compensate for it with their length. You don't get anything easy or unchallenged around the rim." Yes, West Va. is 9-0 SU at home this season, after going 25-5 SU at home the last two years, but giving Baylor this many points makes little sense. Make the Bears an 8* play.
Baylor:The Bears were picked fifth in the league's preseason poll after losing NBA first-round pick Taurean Prince and top rebounder Rico Gathers but ascended to No. 1 in the AP Monday. "Not many people get a chance to be ranked No. 1, and that's a great honor," Baylor head coach Scott Drew said. "Baylor Nation deserves it, because they helped us get here. We're glad to make them proud and happy and give them something to be excited about. Big picture, though, we know no one is going to remember who is ranked No. 1 the first week of January." In fact, top-ranked Kansas came to Morgantown last January and lost 74-63. The Bears rank No. 4 in scoring defense (58.3 PPG), sixth in FG defense (37.3%) and 13th in blocks, most of those by the 7-0 Lual-Acuil and 6-10 Motley. Motley (15.8 & 9.4), Lual-Acuil (10.7 & 7.1) and the 6-8 Maston (8.2 & 4.9) make for a formidable frontcourt, teaming with guards Lecomte (11.8 & 4.9 APG), a Miami transfer, and Freeman (11.10.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers have won nine of their last 10 games with the only loss by one point, 77-76 in OT, at Texas Tech last week. Sophomore Esa Ahmad (12.9 & 4.9) is a 6-8 forward and leads a well-balanced attack that features eight players averaging 6.9 points or more. He's joined in double digits by guards Daxter Miles Jr. (11.1), who is shooting 45.2 percent from three-point range, and Jevon Carter (10.5), who averages a team best 4.7 assists plus ranks fourth nationally with an average of 3.1 steals per game. West Virginia leads the nation in turnovers forced (24.3), steals (12.8), turnover margin (plus-13.7) and scoring margin (plus-28.7), averaging 90.1 PPG (5th) while allowing 61.4 PPG (16th).
The pick: This contest comes just two days shy of the one-year anniversary of the last time a No. 1-ranked team visited Morgantown. West Virginia knocked off then top-rated Kansas, 74-63, last January and veteran head coach Bob Huggins knows a "repeat performance like last year's Kansas upset, will be tough sledding. "You can't simulate their length," Huggins said. "When you can pretty much touch hands across the floor, you're going to cover some ground. They can make mistakes and compensate for it with their length. You don't get anything easy or unchallenged around the rim." Yes, West Va. is 9-0 SU at home this season, after going 25-5 SU at home the last two years, but giving Baylor this many points makes little sense. Make the Bears an 8* play.
