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Oklahoma State vs Baylor Picks and Odds

Daniel Coyle

by Daniel Coyle in College Basketball

Updated Mar 3, 2021 · 6:43 PM PST

Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham calling a play dribbling up the court during a game.
Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham (2) during of an NCAA college basketball game against Kansas State, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, in Stillwater, Okla. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
  • The Baylor Bears look to remain perfect at home as they host the surging Oklahoma State Cowboys as big favorites
  • The Bears have suffered just one loss this season, and are assured of a top seed at the NCAA Tournament, while the Cowboys vie for a fourth straight win vs nationally ranked opponents
  • We’ve got you covered with all the odds and trends ahead of this crucial Big 12 conference clash

After clinching top spot in the Big 12 standings and a top seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament with Tuesday’s 94-89 win over West Virginia, the Baylor Bears return home to battle the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Thursday as 11.5-point favorites.

Tuesday’s victory over the Mountaineers comes on the heels of Baylor’s first SU loss of the season. However, the Bears remain undefeated in 11 home dates since February of last year. The Cowboys hit the road for their final two regular season contests riding a five-game SU win streak. Bust OSU likely needs a victory on Thursday to maintain its chances of overtaking West Virginia in the race for third place in the conference standings.

Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead of this Big 12 matchup, set for 7:00 pm ET on Thursday night at the Ferrell Center.

Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Baylor Bears Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Oklahoma State Cowboys +11.5 (-110) TBD O 149.5 (-110)
Baylor Bears -11.5 (-110) TBD U 149.5 (-110)

Odds from FanDuel on March 3rd, 2021. 

Bears Bounce Back Following First Loss of Season

The Bears dipped to No. 3 in the AP Top 25 rankings following last weekend’s surprising 71-58 loss to Kansas as 4.5-point road chalk, but quickly redeemed themselves with Tuesday’s victory over the Mountaineers. With its first regular season conference title in 71 years now in hand, and with March Madness top seeding assured, Baylor’s focus can now turn to the Big 12 Tournament, which gets underway next week in Kansas City.

Baylor still enjoys a chance to close out their campaign with an unblemished record on home court, where the team has posted wins in four of five meetings with the Cowboys. A string of game postponements and cancellations have limited the Bears to just total outings, including one home date, since late January.

Baylor Struggling to Cover at Home

The team has disappointed loyal sports bettors in their past two home contests, failing to cover as heavy double-digit favorites in wins over Iowa State and Auburn to fall to 2-4 ATS in their past six outings at Ferrell Center. But while the Bears need overtime to get past West Virginia on Tuesday night, they look to have overcome the offensive struggles that plagued them in their loss to the Jayhawks.

After shooting just 2-for-9 for five points from the field in this past weekend’s loss, leading scorer Jared Butler rediscovered his groove on Tuesday, going 10-for-21 including five three-pointers to rack up 25 points to go along with six assists. Butler also turned in a steady performance in the team’s 81-66 rout of Oklahoma State back in January, dropping a game-high 22 points while collecting five rebounds.

Cowboys Corralling Nationally Ranked Opponents

While the Bears set their sights on the postseason, the Cowboys still have plenty of work to do over the final days of the regular season. No. 17 Oklahoma State has vaulted to fourth place in the conference standings during its current five-game SU win streak. The Cowboys’ current tear is particularly impressive considering that each of their past three victories have come against nationally-ranked opponents, capped by Monday’s 79-75 victory over No. 16 Oklahoma.

However, OSU has produced mixed results in recent road contests. The club came up short in its two away games prior to this week’s win over the Sooners, including an outright 81-78 loss to TCU as 4.5-point chalk. And things get no easier for the Cowboys this weekend, when they close out their schedule with a road date against No. 6 West Virginia.

Oklahoma State a Steady Road Bet vs Bears

One thing going for the Cowboys is their recent success at the sportsbooks in road dates with Baylor. While the Bears have posted just two SU wins in 14 visits to Baylor, they have covered in four of their past six, and are undefeated ATS in their past three while pegged as underdogs by nine or points.

The Picks: Cowboys +11.5 (-110); UNDER 149.5 (-110)

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