Baylor vs BYU Predictions, Odds and Picks - Feb. 20 | College Basketball Season 2023-24
Baylor vs BYU continues the last few games remaining in the NCAA men's basketball regular season, with the Bears visiting the Cougars in Utah. No. 11 Baylor (19-6, 8-4 conf) remains the third-best team in the Big 12, while No. 25 BYU (18-7, 6-6 conf) is a bit further down the line.
The Bears come into this game winning four out of their last five, with their only loss coming to No. 4 Kansas in a slim, 64-61 decision. Since then, they've won two straight and are headed to Utah with an even 3-3 road record. As for the Cougars, they're quite stellar at home with a 13-2 record – but their performance against Big 12 opponents leaves something to be desired.
Baylor vs BYU Prediction
Baylor could win a very close contest against BYU if these teams would just trade baskets all game. That's because despite the Cougars being smack dab in the middle of the conference, they have all the necessary tools to match the Bears shot for shot.
One could even argue that No. 25 BYU is the better team on offense stats-wise, being the 23rd-highest-scoring team in the country (83.4 ppg) and fourth-best in assists (19.1 apg).
That potent passing attack is led by sophomore guard Dallin Hall, who leads the team in assists with almost five per contest. His assist-to-turnover ratio is also elite, pointing to him almost always making accurate passes both on the run and within a set.
As the top two offenses in the Big 12 with sub-par defensive schemes, the Baylor Bears and BYU Cougars could very well just keep outshooting each other all game until one finally falls flat in the final moments.
Baylor vs BYU Betting Odds
Baylor vs BYU Head-to-Head
Another relatively young head-to-head matchup, Baylor vs BYU only goes as far back as 11 games deep. These two teams barely met in NCAA history, but when they did, things were relatively close. The Bears currently lead the Cougars, 6-5 all-time, with the two schools being separated by just 57 points total in all 11 games (via Sports-Reference).
It's also worth noting that from 2011 to 2024, these two teams have only met four times. Baylor won all four games in that 13-year span, winning half of those at home while two others were on the road (one of them at a neutral site). The last time these two teams met, the Bears handily won, 81-72 with some solid second-half scoring, outduelling the Cougars, 48-33 in the final half (via BaylorBears.com).
Where to watch?
Venue: Mariott Center, Provo, Utah
Date and time: February 20, 2024 at 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Baylor vs BYU Injuries
Baylor
G Langston Love, leg (QUESTIONABLE)
F Yanis Ndjonga, knee (OUT FOR SEASON)
BYU
G Dawson Baker, foot (OUT FOR SEASON