West Virginia, Cincinnati Clash While Looking to Halt Skids

Two Big 12 teams struggling to find consistency will face off on Sunday afternoon as the West Virginia Mountaineers visit the Cincinnati Bearcats. Both squads are desperate for a win to turn their seasons around.

West Virginia Searching for Answers

West Virginia (13-7, 4-5 Big 12) looked like a rising force in the conference when it cracked the AP Top 25 at No. 23 after a win over then-No. 3 Iowa State on Jan. 18. However, since then, the Mountaineers have dropped three straight games, most recently falling 63-49 to No. 6 Houston at home.

Key Takeaways from West Virginia’s Recent Struggles:

• Fell behind 39-19 at halftime vs. Houston
• Second-half rally wasn’t enough to close the gap
• Lacking offensive firepower without injured Tucker DeVries (14.9 PPG)

Coach Darian DeVries believes his team needs to channel its second-half energy moving forward.

“That second half was us,” DeVries said. “As a coach, you hope we got that back in the second half.”

Key Player to Watch:

• Javon Small (19.1 PPG) – The Big 12’s leading scorer

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Cincinnati Needs a Defensive Stand

The Bearcats (12-8, 2-7) have lost seven of their last nine games, including a blowout loss at BYU and another defeat at Utah last Tuesday. They haven’t won since taking down Colorado and Arizona State in early January.

Head coach Wes Miller says his team is frustrated but focused.

“We have a group that cares a great deal,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of basketball left, so no time for self-pity or hanging heads. We have to keep grinding and working.”

Why Cincinnati Could Have the Edge:

• Defense Wins Games: The Bearcats allow just 63 points per game and rank among the Big 12’s best in defensive field goal percentage (40.5%) and 3-point defense (30.6%).
• Rim Protection: Seven-foot center Aziz Bandaogo leads the team with 31 blocked shots.
• Home Court Boost: Dillon Mitchell has averaged 12.1 points at home, scoring in double figures in all but one game in Cincinnati.

Game Outlook: Can West Virginia Break Through?

West Virginia has struggled without DeVries, while Cincinnati has remained competitive thanks to its defense. The Mountaineers will need a big game from Javon Small, but the Bearcats’ shot-blocking and perimeter defense could make things tough.

Which team will break its losing streak and get back on track?