Bradley vs. Cincinnati Prediction, Odds and Key Players for NIT Tournament Second Round (Back the Braves)
A pair of wins in the Big 12 Tournament were not enough for the Cincinnati Bearcats to reach the NCAA Tournament. Instead, UC earned a No. 2 seed in the NIT and opened the event by getting past San Francisco in overtime, 73-72. The Bearcats haven’t been great for backers as a favorite this season. Can they pull away from Bradley in the second round of the NIT?
The Braves had an 11-day stretch between games after falling in the semifinals of the MVC Tournament. Bradley used its fresh legs to run past Loyola Chicago, 74-62, in the opening round of the NIT. Can they hang around in an upset bid of the Bearcats? Here’s the betting preview of Saturday’s second-round action with a best bet.
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Bradley vs. Cincinnati Odds, Spread and Total
Bradley vs. Cincinnati Betting Trends
- Bradley is 17-14-2 ATS this season
- Cincinnati is 17-18 ATS this season
- Bradley is 2-4 ATS as an underdog this season
- Cincinnati is 9-15 ATS as a favorite this season
- The OVER is 14-14 in Bradley games this season
- The OVER is 18-17 in Cincinnati games this season
Bradley vs. Cincinnati How to Watch
- Date: Saturday, March 23
- Game time: 2 p.m. EST
- Venue: Fifth Third Arena
- How to watch (TV): ESPN+
- Bradley record: 23-11
- Cincinnati record: 21-14
Bradley vs. Cincinnati Key Players to Watch
Bradley
Duke Deen: Bradley’s leader in assists, Deen also averages 14.2 points per game and is shooting nearly 40% from beyond the arc. Deen anchored the Braves’ offense in the opening round of the NIT, pouring in a team-high 18 points to go with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Deen has been consistent, scoring in double figures in 11 consecutive contests.
Cincinnati
Simas Lukosius: The 6-foot-8 junior guard is UC’s top perimeter threat and showed why in the Bearcats’ opening round win over San Francisco. Lukosius went 8-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with a season-high 28 points.
Bradley vs. Cincinnati Prediction and Pick
You can’t expect Lukosius, who is shooting 38.2% from downtown this year, to hit at an 80% rate in back-to-back games. Outside of Lukosius, the Bearcats went 3-of-20 from downtown against San Francisco.
UC only attempts 36.5% of its shots from 3-point range and prefers to get the ball inside. That’s a problem against a Bradley defense that is No. 38 in effective field goal percentage and is No. 27 against shots from 2-point range. UC, a poor shooting team overall (No. 217 in effective field goal percentage), is sloppy with the ball and struggles at the charity stripe, as well (No. 292 in free-throw percentage).
On the other side of the ball, UC’s efficient defense faces a Bradley team that has one of the best shooting teams in the nation. The Braves are No. 15 in effective field goal percentage and top-25 in the nation in 2 - and 3-point percentage. UC is stingy down low defensively with a top-40 lineup in terms of average height, but the Bearcats can be beaten from the perimeter. UC was 12th in the Big 12 against 3s and Bradley scores over 35% of its points from downtown. UC is just 9-15 ATS as a favorite this season with an offense that struggles to pull away from opponents. Back the underdog Braves.
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Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.