Cincinnati vs. West Virginia Picks and Prediction for Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Cincinnati Bearcats (8-6) vs. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-5)
The 2025-26 college basketball season continues Tuesday, January 6, with the Cincinnati Bearcats taking on the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Big 12 Conference showdown at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, WV, and we’ve got you covered with our Cincinnati vs. West Virginia prediction.
The Bearcats meet the Mountaineers for the first time this season. In 2024-25, West Virginia swept its two-game set against Cincinnati, beating the Bearcats 63-50 as a 5.5-point road underdog and 62-59 as a 3-point home favorite.
Read more about this Cincinnati vs. West Virginia prediction, and make sure to check out all our NCAAB picks for Tuesday’s card. The tip-off at WVU Coliseum is set at 7:00 PM ET.
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Cincinnati’s shaky form continues
The Cincinnati Bearcats (8-6; 5-9 ATS; 3-11 O/U) have dropped six of their previous 10 games overall. They are 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in their past five outings, alternating losses and wins in the process. Last Saturday, the Bearcats started their Big 12 Conference campaign with a 67-60 home loss against No. 8 Houston.
The Bearcats blew a five-point halftime lead against the Cougars and eventually failed to cover a five-point spread. Cincinnati committed seven more turnovers than Houston (15-8) while going 6-for-20 from downtown. Senior guard Day Day Thomas led the way for the Bearcats with 15 points and four assists.
Thomas averages 13.0 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, while senior forward Baba Miller posts 13.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. The Bearcats score 104.1 points per 100 possessions (251st in the nation) and allow just 93.4 points in return (7th). Their defense is 32nd in the nation in 2-point percentage (46.0%) and 45th in 3-point percentage (30.2%).
West Virginia lacks consistency, too
The West Virginia Mountaineers (9-5; 7-7 ATS; 6-8 O/U) have won five of their last 10 games overall and are 2-3 SU and ATS in their previous five outings. They started conference play last Saturday, too, suffering a heavy 80-59 road defeat at No. 3 Iowa State.
The Mountaineers didn’t stand a chance against the Cyclones, who shot 13-for-25 from deep and posted a 26/11 assist-to-turnover ratio. West Virginia went 7-for-24 from downtown while notching a 13/12 assist-to-turnover ratio. Senior guard Chance Moore led the way for the Mountaineers with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Moore tallies 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, while fellow senior guard Honor Huff scores 16.6 points a night. West Virginia ranks 100th in the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency (112.8 points per 100 possessions) and 39th in adjusted defensive efficiency (99.7). The Mountaineers’ defense is fourth in 2-point percentage (43.2%) and 256th in 3-point percentage (35.3%).
Cincinnati vs. West Virginia Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Insiders Room | +1,793.00 |
| 2 |  Tony Karpinski | +1,731.00 |
| 3 |  Jesse Schule | +1,599.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vinciletti | +1,284.00 |
| 5 |  David Delano | +1,232.00 |
Spread Pick for Cincinnati vs. West Virginia
- West Virginia -3.5 (5 units)
This game will be a joy to watch, and it could easily go either way. Both teams are capable of playing tough defense, but when it comes to offensive execution, they are not great by any stretch of the imagination.
I expect a tight battle for all 40 minutes. The Bearcats are seventh in the country in defensive rebound percentage (76.3%), and the Mountaineers rank 34th in this category (73.4%). Both teams force a turnover on 20.1% of opposing possessions (tied for 43rd) while successfully keeping their rivals off the foul line.
Give me the Mountaineers only because they are undefeated in 12 consecutive outings at home. Their streak started with that 62-59 victory over the Bearcats this past season. West Virginia is 5-2 ATS in its past seven home contests.
Over/Under Pick for Cincinnati vs. West Virginia
- Under 131.5 (5 units)
Betting on the under looks like a way to go in this game. The Bearcats don’t play at a slow pace, recording 70.6 possessions per 40 minutes (79th in the nation), but the Mountaineers register just 63.5 possessions per 40 minutes (359th).
Cincinnati is 42nd in the country in 3-point rate, but the Bearcats make just 31.6% of their shots from deep (263rd). Both Cincinnati and West Virginia have struggled from the foul line thus far, and the Bearcats make only 64.4% of their free throws (349th).
The under is 5-0 in Cincinnati’s last five games overall, and it is 9-3 in West Virginia’s previous 12 showings at home.
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