What the ESPN BPI Says About WVU vs. Cincinnati

Can West Virginia keep its season alive?

For the second time in four days, the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Cincinnati Bearcats will square off, this time in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament.

According to the ESPN BPI, West Virginia has an 11.1% chance to win while Cincinnati has an 88.9% chance.

It was a tale of two games in the season series as the Mountaineers won the first game at home, 69-65, thanks to a 46-point second half. Center Jesse Edwards couldn't be stopped in that one as he finished the night with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks. The Bearcats were held to just 37% shooting from the field and a measly 28% from three. WVU also had a major leg up at the free throw line with 28 attempts compared to UC's eight.

In the regular season finale, the tables turned in a big way. Cincinnati virtually controlled the game from the jump and dominated in just about every category on the stat sheet. Surprisingly, they had an answer for Edwards this time around, who was fresh off a 36-point performance against TCU. Edwards had just eight points and four rebounds, but to make matters worse, no one in West Virginia's starting five hit double digits. Noah Farrakhan led the team in scoring off the bench with 12.

After leading by seven at the break, Cincinnati poured it on in the final twenty minutes, scoring 56 to go on to win 92-56. They scored as many points in the second half as West Virginia did in the entire game.

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