Cincinnati vs Wichita State Prediction and Odds: Defense Reigns Supreme in AAC Matchup

Don't let NFL Wild Card Sunday distract you from the fact that there's some fantastic college basketball matchups to also wager on. One of those games is an AAC matchup between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Wichita State Shockers.

The Shockers are looking for their first win in conference play, having lost three straight to Memphis, Houston, and Tulane. Cincinnati also lost to Tulane and Memphis this season, but have wins against SMU and East Carolina. Both teams enter the game with similar records against the spread. Cincinnati is 6-9-1 ATS, and Wichita State is 6-9.

Let's take a look at the odds via WynnBET for this conference showdown.

Cincinnati vs. Wichita State Odds, Spread, and Total

Spread:

• Cincinnati +2.5 (-115)
• Wichita State -2.5 (-105)

Moneyline:

• Cincinnati +120
• Wichita State -140

Total:

• 134.5 (Over -115/Under -105)

Cincinnati vs. Wichita State Betting Trends

• Cincinnati is 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games.
• The UNDER is 9-4 in Cincinnati's last 13 games.
• Cincinnati is 1-12-1 ATS in its last 14 games played on a Sunday.
• Wichita State is 2-6 ATS in its last eight games.
• The UNDER is 12-6 in Wichita State's last 18 games.

Cincinnati vs. Wichita State Prediction and Pick

The UNDER is a strong trend for both teams, and I'm going to back it to hit again in this matchup. Both teams are far superior on their own side of the court, which always lends well for an UNDER bet.

Cincinnati ranks 228th in effective field goal percentage and Wichita State ranks 288th. Meanwhile, the two teams rank sixth and 29th in opponent effective field goal percentage respectively. The Bearcats also rank 31st in defensive efficiency and Wichita State ranks right behind them at 33rd.

The spread is set at the right number in my opinion, but most of the statistics point to this being a defensive battle, so that's where I'll lay my money.

Pick: UNDER 134.5