Arizona vs Cincinnati Picks and Prediction – 1/4/2025

On Saturday, the Arizona Wildcats (7-5) face off against the 16th ranked Cincinnati Bearcats (10-2) at Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Get ready for the college basketball season with our college basketball picks.

Cincinnati comes into this matchup ranked 16th in the latest AP Poll and on a one-game losing streak. They’ve won four of their last five games. During a closely contested game against Kansas State, the Bearcats were narrowly defeated with a final score of 70-67. Despite the loss, Dan Skillings Jr. stood out by contributing 18 points. This season, the leading scorer for Cincinnati has been Simas Lukosius, who has consistently put up an average of 14 points per game. The second-highest scorer, Jizzle James, has also been a key player by averaging 11.9 points per game. On the rebounding front, Dillon Mitchell leads the team with an average of 7.8 rebounds each game, providing crucial support on the boards. Additionally, Jizzle James plays a pivotal role in facilitating the offense, recording an average of 5.1 assists per game. Over their past five matchups, the Bearcats have averaged 73.8 points, indicating their offensive capabilities. As they seek to recover from their upset loss to Kansas State, Cincinnati aims to balance their conference record. Overall, the Bearcats maintain a solid scoring record, averaging 78.4 points per contest this season.

Arizona enters this game on a three-game winning streak and has won four of their last five games. In their 90-81 victory against TCU, Caleb Love put on an impressive display for the Wildcats by racking up 33 points. This standout performance continues his strong season, where he leads Arizona in scoring with an average of 16.7 points per game. Following him in the scoring ranks is Jaden Bradley, who contributes an average of 11.3 points each game. On the defensive front, Tobe Awaka is the team's top rebounder, pulling down an average of 7.6 rebounds per game this season. Additionally, Jalen Bradley plays a key role in playmaking, leading the team with an average of 3.8 assists per game. Over their last five matchups, Arizona has been prolific offensively, averaging 87.2 points. As they prepare to face Cincinnati, the Wildcats aim to hand them a second straight upset loss while maintaining their unblemished record in conference play. Throughout the season, the Wildcats have been consistent scorers, boasting an overall average of 85.9 points per game.

This season, Arizona's strength has been their offensive play, and they are eager to balance out their performance on the road. In their previous away game against Wisconsin, they struggled defensively, letting Wisconsin score 103 points, a performance they are determined to improve upon. On the other side, Cincinnati boasts a perfect record at home, having won all seven of their games there. However, they are trying to recover from a surprising defeat at the hands of Kansas State. Cincinnati’s offense has been on fire at home, which will carry them to victory in this one. Final Score Prediction, Cincinnati Bearcats win but fail to cover, 75-74.