Oskeim Sports’ Free College Basketball Pick for Tuesday, January 5

Jan 5, 2016

bears2

Baylor’s college basketball team returns home after suffering a humiliating 102-74 loss at Kansas on Saturday, and the Bears are hell-bent on avenging last year’s series-sweep by Oklahoma State.  Baylor possesses an explosive offense that is averaging 79.2 points per game against teams that would combine to allow 71.4 points per game.

Even more impressive is the fact that the Bears are 9-0 SU at home this season where they are averaging 83.2 points per game on 48.6% shooting from the field and 38.4% from beyond the arc. I also like the fact that the Bears are making 74.5% of their free throws this season, including 75.4% at home.

Baylor also boasts an excellent defense that is allowing just 66.9 points per game to teams that would combine to average 74.2 points per game, which is certainly good enough to limit a pedestrian Oklahoma State attack that is just 0.4 points per game better than average (71.5 points per game against teams that would combine to allow 71.1 points per game).

Overall, the Bears own a significant 7.3 points per game advantage defensively over Oklahoma State’s attack.  Baylor’s offense owns a nominal 0.3 points per game advantage over the Cowboys’ stop unit so there is no question which team should dominate tonight’s game.

The situation could not be worse for Oklahoma State, who is playing its first true road game of the 2015-2016 campaign and faces a red-faced Baylor squad looking to make amends for last week’s embarrassing defeat at Kansas.  Let’s also note that Oklahoma State is just 1-7-1 ATS in its last nine trips to Waco so matters look bleak for the Cowboys tonight.

The Cowboys are a money-burning 9-22-1 ATS in its last 32 road games, including 7-20-1 ATS versus teams with a winning home record.  Meanwhile, the Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games versus teams with a winning road record and 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games following a loss by more than 20 points.

Lay the points with Baylor as Oskeim Sports’ Free College Basketball winner on Tuesday.

Oskeim Sports’ Free College Basketball Pick: Baylor (-9.5)