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Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Picks and Predictions February 24th 2026

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Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Game Preview

Arizona heads to Waco on Tuesday night for a Big 12 matchup with Baylor at Foster Pavilion, and the market is still asking you to lay a big road number with the No. 2 Wildcats at -9.5. Arizona’s résumé supports it. They’re 25-2, they’ve traveled well all season, and they don’t need a perfect shooting night because they can win the possession battle with rebounding and consistent shot quality. Baylor is 14-13, but the home setting matters, and this is the type of game where the underdog’s offense can keep the spread live if the favorite does not create clean separation before the final eight minutes.

The total sits at 154.5, which is a key number for a game that could go two different ways. If Arizona controls tempo, rebounds misses, and keeps Baylor out of transition, you can get a game that feels more like a halfcourt trade in the low 70s. If Baylor is scoring efficiently and forcing Arizona into quicker possessions, the pace rises and you start flirting with a score that threatens the over. With a spread this large, the game script matters more than the raw talent gap.

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Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Odds

These are the current betting lines, and bettors should keep tracking movement throughout the day on the latest college basketball odds board.

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
Arizona Wildcats-556-9.5 (-110)O 154.5
Baylor Bears+348+9.5 (-116)U 154.5

Arizona Wildcats Betting Form

Arizona is coming off a quality win over Houston, 73-66, and that type of result is part of why the Wildcats are priced like a team that can travel and cover. When Arizona is playing to its identity, it gets efficient looks, it rebounds, and it does not rely on one player to carry the offense. That balance is important in a road favorite role because it reduces variance. If one scorer has an average night, the structure still holds.

The cover path at -9.5 is built on controlling the glass and keeping Baylor from getting extra possessions. Arizona’s rebounding rate gives it a clean way to separate without needing a barrage of threes, and that matters in a building where Baylor can feed off momentum. The risk for Arizona backers is a stretch where Baylor’s guards get downhill, Arizona picks up fouls, and the game turns into free throws and stoppages that keep the underdog attached. If Arizona wins the possession math and stays disciplined defensively, it can get up double digits and manage the close.

Injury Report
Koa Peat (F) is out with a lower-body injury.
Dwayne Aristode (F) is questionable due to illness.

Baylor Bears Betting Form

Baylor is coming off a 73-68 win over Arizona State, and the key takeaway is that the Bears can score efficiently when their shot selection is right. Baylor’s offensive baseline is strong enough to compete in a game like this, especially at home, but the margin is thin when you’re facing an opponent that punishes mistakes with second-chance points and clean transition defense.

At Foster Pavilion, Baylor’s best chance to stay inside this number is to keep Arizona from dominating the glass and to avoid the empty stretches that create separation for a favorite. Baylor does not have to win every segment of the game, but it cannot lose any segment by a landslide. If the Bears can turn this into a possession game, get consistent scoring from their guards, and force Arizona to defend multiple actions in the halfcourt, the +9.5 starts to look more realistic.

Injury Report
V. Perez (G) is out with a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the season.
F. Soyoye (C) is out and will redshirt this season.
J. Bodo Bodo (C) is questionable with an arm injury.
A. Iguodala (G-F) is out and will redshirt.

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Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Matchup Breakdown

This matchup is Arizona’s rebounding and efficiency against Baylor’s ability to score at home and keep the game from getting away. Arizona’s edge shows up in how few empty possessions it has, because it can score with balance and clean up misses. Baylor’s edge is shot-making and the ability to create scoring bursts, especially if the Bears are getting to the line and forcing Arizona into foul management.

The total at 154.5 is the decision point. Arizona and Baylor both have the offensive talent to play into the high 70s, but the under becomes attractive if Arizona’s defense takes away Baylor’s easy looks and the game leans more toward halfcourt possessions than transition. If Baylor hits threes early or the whistle creates a steady stream of free throws, the game can climb quickly, and that also increases the chance of a backdoor cover if Arizona is protecting a lead late.

Arizona Wildcats vs Baylor Bears Predictions and Best Bets

I lean Baylor +9.5. Arizona is the better team and deserves to be favored, but this is a spread that asks the Wildcats to win comfortably in a tough road setting. Baylor’s offense is capable enough to keep this in the single digits if it avoids turnover stretches and holds up on the glass. The projection you provided also points to a game that stays closer than the number.

On the total, I lean under 154.5 as a secondary angle. The number is high enough that you need sustained efficiency from both sides, and the under looks better if Arizona dictates tempo and makes Baylor work for everything in the halfcourt. The risk is Baylor shooting well early, which can force Arizona into a faster rhythm and add late-game fouling.

Best Bet: Baylor +9.5 (-116).

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NCAAB Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats

Big spreads are where timing and price matter most, because +9.5 and +10.5 change the entire bet when the final two minutes turn into free throws. Start with NCAAB picks to see where bettors are landing across the slate, then compare spread and total pricing on the college basketball odds page so you are not taking a worse number than the market is offering.

If you’re building a Tuesday card around conference games, the NCAAB previews hub keeps everything organized by matchup and start time so you can compare styles without overloading your slate. And when you want to track which handicappers consistently beat big-number games and high-profile matchups, the handicappers leaderboard is the cleanest way to compare records and ROI before you lock in a side or total.

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