West Virginia vs TCU Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Mountaineers Seek Season Sweep
No. 15 TCU Looks to Close Gap
The Big 12 parity continues as four teams are less than two games behind the first-place Texas Longhorns, including the TCU Horned Frogs.
The Horned Frogs have won three of their last four conference games, and a win on Tuesday would bring them closer to the top of the standings, especially with a shakeup to the top three teams already taking place.
West Virginia, meanwhile, has started to turn things around in conference play after starting 0-5 in the Big 12. The Mountaineers have won two of their last three conference games, including a win over TCU.
Both teams are returning from the Big 12/SEC Challenge, where the Mountaineers defeated Auburn while TCU fell to Mississippi State in overtime.
The Mountaineers, ninth in the Big 12 with a 2-6 conference record, will be going for the season sweep over TCU. The Horned Frogs will be hoping to raise their stock with a current 5-3 Big 12 record, placing them fourth in the conference.
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines for West Virginia vs TCU. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
West Virginia Eyes Winning Streak
The West Virginia Mountaineers won three of their last four, including their most recent win over then-No. 15 Auburn in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
West Virginia’s offense led the way, as it has in most of the Mountaineers’ wins this season. The Mountaineers are tied for fourth in scoring in the Big 12, averaging 77.1 points, and they have averaged 72.8 points in their last four games.
Though the Mountaineers are strong offensively, their defense hasn’t been as solid. West Virginia is last in the Big 12 in points and second worst in field goal percentage allowed, with teams averaging 69.1 points on 44% shooting.
In its win over Auburn, West Virginia scored 80 points and although the Mountaineers had a 16-point lead at halftime, they only won by three points. The Tigers had a strong second half, shooting 56.3% from the field to cut the lead, falling after a missed 3-pointer at the buzzer. Four of Auburn’s players scored in double digits.
Erik Stevenson was big in the win for West Virginia, scoring 31 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including going 7 of 10 from beyond the arc. He leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.9 points, though he was held to nine points in the first meeting with TCU.
Other players stepped up in the Mountaineers’ first win against the Horned Frogs, and may need to do so again if Stevenson is contained once more.
TCU Hopes to Overcome Injuries
The Horned Frogs fell to Mississippi State 81-74 in overtime with two starters missing from the lineup.
TCU leading rebounder Eddie Lampkin Jr. has been out for the past few games while its leading scorer, Mike Miles Jr., went out in the beginning of the game. Lampkin averages 6.8 boards and Miles leads with 18.1 points a game.
Despite both Lampkin and Miles sitting, the Horned Frogs were able to push the game into overtime. However, TCU couldn’t finish in the extra time, getting outscored 15-8.
Damion Baugh stepped up in Miles’ and Lampkin’s absence, scoring 19 points, while four other Horned Frogs also scored in double figures. TCU is third in the Big 12, averaging 77.5 points, and though Miles is a main contributor to that, Baugh and Emanuel Miller also average double figures.
Miles was the leading scorer in TCU’s loss to West Virginia two weeks ago, scoring 21 points, but Baugh and Miller added 13 each as well. With Miles likely out of the lineup, they’ll need to step up again to help facilitate the offense.
West Virginia vs TCU Game Injuries
West Virginia vs TCU Head-to-Head
The two played two weeks ago at West Virginia when the Mountaineers won their first Big 12 conference game 74-65. West Virginia and TCU have met 22 times in the past, with the Mountaineers leading the series 18-4.
West Virginia vs TCU Game Information
- Game: West Virginia (13-8, 2-6 Big 12) vs TCU (16-5, 5-3)
- Location: Schollmaier Arena, Fort Worth, TX
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 31, 9 p.m. ET
- West Virginia vs TCU Live stream: TBS.com
West Virginia vs Betting Lines
West Virginia vs TCU Picks and Prediction
TCU won its last two conference games by an average of 25 points, but with its top scorer now sidelined, it may run into trouble against a team that has already recorded a win over the Horned Frogs this season.
Although TCU normally dominates on both ends of the floor, being third on offense and fourth on defense in the Big 12, missing Miles and possibly Lamkin as well could change that. West Virginia is also strong offensively, with recent wins seeing the Mountaineers climb the offensive ranks.
The loss of Miles will keep things close between the teams for most of the game, but the Horned Frogs have other offensive weapons to step up against a mediocre Big 12 defense. With TCU at home and looking to pull closer in the conference rankings, the Horned Frogs should get the win.
The TCU Horned Frogs are listed at -130 in our Vegas college basketball lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Horned Frogs, you have a chance to win $77. The West Virginia Mountaineers are +110, offering a chance to win $110 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the TCU Horned Frogs a 56.52% chance to win, with the West Virginia Mountaineers at 47.62%.
