West Virginia Mountaineers vs Cincinnati Bearcats Picks and Predictions February 19th 2025

Cincinnati, West Virginia Face Crucial Matchup in Pursuit of Postseason Berths

Two teams on the cusp of postseason contention are set to clash in a pivotal Big 12 matchup as the West Virginia Mountaineers host the Cincinnati Bearcats on Wednesday night in Morgantown, West Virginia.

West Virginia Looks to End Skid and Solidify Tournament Status

The Mountaineers (15-10, 6-8 Big 12) are aiming to halt a two-game skid, having dropped three of their last four contests. Their most recent setback was a 74-71 overtime loss at Baylor on Saturday, where free-throw disparities played a significant role. The Bears capitalized on 27 of 32 attempts from the line, while West Virginia managed to convert only 11 of 17.

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“We’ve got to figure out how to do a better job of keeping people off the free-throw line,” coach Darian DeVries emphasized. “When you give a team 27 points and they shoot 32 free throws, it’s hard to win.”

In conference play, the Mountaineers rank last among the 16 teams in both free-throw attempts (184) and makes (124), highlighting an area in need of improvement.

Senior guard Javon Small continues to lead West Virginia and the conference in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game. He contributed 22 points in the loss to Baylor, underscoring his pivotal role in the team’s offense.

Despite a sub-.500 record in Big 12 play, bracketologists from ESPN, CBS Sports, and The Athletic still project DeVries’ squad to secure an NCAA Tournament berth.

Cincinnati Aims to Keep Momentum Despite Setback

The Bearcats (15-10, 5-9) are on the outside looking in when it comes to NCAA Tournament projections. Their three-game winning streak was snapped on Saturday with an 81-70 loss to then-No. 10 Iowa State on the road. The Bearcats held a 48-45 lead with 15:06 remaining, but the Cyclones responded with a decisive 10-0 run to seize control.

Since a 63-50 home loss to West Virginia on February 2—which marked Cincinnati’s fourth consecutive defeat and eighth in a ten-game span—the Bearcats’ offense has shown marked improvement. Over their last four games, coach Wes Miller’s team has averaged 83 points per game, shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. This is a significant uptick from the previous ten games, where they averaged just 59.6 points and shot 39 percent overall, including 26.6 percent from three-point range.

Sophomore guard Jizzle James leads Cincinnati in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game. He has elevated his performance recently, matching his career-high of 25 points in each of his last two outings and adding 24 points in the game prior against BYU.

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However, James fouled out in the loss to Iowa State, as the Bearcats committed a season-high 23 fouls.

“Jizzle and Dillon (Mitchell)’s foul trouble really affected our ability to navigate the game the way we want it from a lineup and substitution standpoint,” Miller noted postgame.

What’s at Stake?

With both teams vying for a postseason opportunity, this game could serve as a defining moment. A win for West Virginia would further solidify its NCAA Tournament case, while a victory for Cincinnati would keep its fading hopes alive. Expect a hard-fought battle as both squads look to avoid the bubble burst.