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West Virginia vs. Baylor: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

By Neil Adler

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 10: Freddie Gillespie #33 of the Baylor Bears shoots over Jericho Sims #20 of the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 10, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images)
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 10: Freddie Gillespie #33 of the Baylor Bears shoots over Jericho Sims #20 of the Texas Longhorns at The Frank Erwin Center on February 10, 2020 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Chris Covatta/Getty Images) /
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Top-ranked Baylor, riding a massive success streak, will entertain West Virginia on Saturday afternoon in a Big 12 Conference defensive slugfest.

TV schedule: Saturday, February 15, 4:00 pm ET. ESPN+.
Arena: Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas.

Two of the nation’s best defenses will square off in Waco, Texas, as part of a top-15 clash between Baylor and West Virginia on Saturday afternoon. There’s no doubt that the Ferrell Center will prove energetic and loud, with the No. 1 Bears (22-1, 11-0) having captured 21-consecutive conquests prior to them hosting the No. 14 Mountaineers (18-6, 6-5).

At this juncture in the 2019-20 campaign, Baylor is one game up on Kansas in the league race, while West Virginia, slumping a bit of late, is paired with Oklahoma in fourth place in the Big 12 Conference standings.

The Mountaineers have dropped three of their past five affairs, including two in a row, to the aforementioned Jayhawks and Sooners. Presently at No. 10 in the NCAA NET system and forecast by bracketologists as a No. 3 seed in the upcoming Big Dance, West Virginia boasts several solid victories, including over Pittsburgh, Northern Iowa, Rhode Island, Wichita State, Ohio State and Texas Tech.

Its half-dozen setbacks, conversely, are to Kansas twice, Texas Tech, Kansas State, St. John’s and Oklahoma.

The Bears, meanwhile, are at No. 3 in the NET and also seriously in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in next month’s March Madness. Baylor’s sole blemish came to Washington by three points on a neutral court in early November.

Since then, the Bears have yet to fall again, beating a laundry list of quality crews, such as Villanova, Arizona, Butler, Florida, the Jayhawks and the Red Raiders.

Don’t expect a thing of beauty when the Mountaineers and Baylor do battle. West Virginia averages 71.8 points per meeting and gives up 61.5 points while hitting on 42.7 percent from the field, a sub-par 64.3 percent from the charity stripe, and a poor 30.1 percent from beyond the arc.

On the flip side, the Bears produce 71.6 points every 40 minutes and allow a mere 58.3 points. Baylor connects on 42.8 percent from the field as a whole, 69.9 percent from the free-throw line, and 35.2 percent from deep.

In other statistical departments, the Mountaineers own the advantage in rebounding and steals. The Bears get the nod in assists, blocks and fewer turnovers committed.

Next. Latest projected Bracketology field of 68. dark

All-time, Baylor is up on West Virginia, 10-7, and that features a 4-3 mark in Waco. According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Bears possess a 74.0 percent chance to prevail versus the Mountaineers. To date in 2019-20, Baylor is 11-0 at home, and West Virginia is 3-5 on the road. Therefore, I’ll take the Bears over the Mountaineers in a tight, defensive-minded tilt.

Prediction: Baylor 62 – West Virginia 57

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