Memphis vs Cincinnati Picks and Odds
- Winning streaks will be on the line when the Memphis Tigers visit the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday afternoon as betting favorites
- The Tigers are on a four-game win streak, while the Bearcats vie for a fourth straight win on home court
- We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of Sunday afternoon’s clash at First Third Arena
The Memphis Tigers will be looking to stay within striking distance of the top of the American Athletic Conference standings with a fifth straight win when they visit the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday afternoon as 4.5-point road favorites.
The Tigers are coming off a convincing 61-46 victory over Tulane to climb into third place in the standings. The Bearcats also beat up on Tulane this week, romping to a 91-71 win over the Green Wave on Friday. With the victory, Cincinnati has now won six of seven since coming back from an unscheduled three-week layoff due to COVID-19.
Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead of this AAC matchup, set for 1pm ET on Sunday at Fifth Third Arena.
Memphis Tigers vs Cincinnati Bearcats Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis Tigers | -4.5 (-110) | -198 | O 137 (-110) |
| Cincinnati Bearcats | +4.5 (-110) | +166 | U 137 (-110) |
*Odds taken at FanDuel on 02/27/2021.
Tigers Eyeing First Place
The Tigers are coming off a dominating defensive performance in this week’s date with Tulane. Memphis limited the Green Wave to just 21 first-half points, and a meagre 25.9% from the field, including just 10.5% on 3-pointers. However, the Tigers have seen their accuracy steadily decline during their current tear.
#Tulane loses 61-46 to Memphis in one of the ugliest games I've ever seen. Memphis had 26 turnovers. Wave shot 15 of 58 from floor and 14 of 23 on FTs.
— Guerry Smith (@Guersmith) February 25, 2021
Memphis shooters connected on at least 45% of field goal attempts in each of the first six outings during their current 6-1 run, topping 50% on four occasions. However, the team struggled to top 38% in their in their most recent outings against bottom feeders Tulane and East Carolina, and turned over the ball 26 times in this week’s victory over the Green Wave.
Sagging Offense a Concern
With Tigers shooters consistently missing the mark, sophomore guard Boogie Ellis came out Wednesday’s game as the only Memphis player to reach double-digits in points in Wednesday’s win, scoring 13, and adding a season-best five rebounds.
.@BoogieEllis is your Player of the Game!
🏀 13 Points, 5 Rebounds, 1 Steal#GoTigersGo | @GroveParkMem pic.twitter.com/BYrvboITAx— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) February 25, 2021
Not surprisingly, the UNDER prevailed in totals betting in each of those contests, extending a steady season-long 15-3-1 run. In addition, the club has also struggled on the road this season, going a middling 2-2 SU and ATS in conference play. Memphis has also been shaky as a small favorite on the road, going 3-4 SU and ATS in their past when favored by five or fewer points as the visiting club.
Bearcats Gaining Momentum
While the Tigers eye the top of the conference standings, the Bearcats aim to maintain an impressive run that has left them in firm control of fifth place, and a bye through the First Round of next month’s AAC Tournament. Cincy is coming of its best offensive performance of the season, with the 91 points scored in Friday’s win over Tulane marking the team’s highest total since their 92-86 win over Memphis in February of last year.
Highlights from the #Bearcats 91-71 triumph over Tulane–presented by @pepsi:
🔺 Davenport: 27 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast
🔺 Eason: 20 pts, 13 reb, 3 blk
🔺 Adams-Woods: 16 pts, 7 ast
🔺 Madsen: 11 pts, 6 reb
🔺 Williams: 8 pts, 4 ast
🔺 Saunders: 7 pts, 3 reb pic.twitter.com/6UD7sWUkrr— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) February 26, 2021
Tight scoring has been a hallmark of recent home dates for the Bearcats. Cincinnati saw each of their four previous home dates decided by four or fewer points, fueling a 0-4 ATS run during that stretch. Overall, the Bearcats have been a bad bet on home hardwood, going 2-11 SU in their past 13. Now set to hit the court as a home underdog for the first time since December 2019, Cincinnati has won outright in its past two at home while sporting positive odds, and covered in three of their past four.
Davenport Coming Off Career-Best Performance
The Bearcats will be looking for a repeat performance out of Jeremiah Davenport on Sunday afternoon, after the sophomore guard piled up a career-high 27 points in Friday’s win. The Cincinnati native has averaged over 17 points per game over his past three appearances, and also tallied a season-high eight points while playing just 11 minutes in his lone previous appearance against Memphis last season.
It’s been a tough season for the #Bearcats, but one obvious bright spot is the emergence of Jeremiah Davenport.
How JD went from hometown fan, to energetic freshman, to vital piece of UC’s future—plus one of my favorite quotes from a college player.
Tomorrow, on @TheAthletic. pic.twitter.com/UBdlYxNnRo
— Justin Williams (@Williams_Justin) February 23, 2021
That victory marked the Bearcats’ eighth straight home win over the Tigers, and lifted the club to 11-3 SU in their past 14 overall clashes. That run includes outright wins in their past two dates with Memphis as home underdogs. Look for the Bearcats to continue to own Memphis with a win on Sunday afternoon.
The Picks: Bearcats to win (+166); UNDER 137 (-110)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
