WVU at OU Betting Odds, Analysis, Prediction | Jan 17th

West Virginia Mountaineers (6-10 SU, 7-9 ATS) vs. Oklahoma Sooners (13-3 SU, 9-7 ATS)

When: Wednesday, January 17th, 8:00 PM (ET)

Where: Lloyd Noble Center, OK, Norman

TV: ESPN+

Point Spread: WVIR +11.5/OKL -11.5

Total: 144.5

Money Line: West Virginia Mountaineers +538/-818

Notable Injuries

Mountaineers

• Jesse Edwards (Out) Wrist
• Patrick Suemnick (Questionable) Illness

Sooners

Recent Form

West Virginia comes into this game as an underdog, as they have gone just 1-7 in games they have been the underdog this season. They are coming off a 76-73 win over Texas, and they are 6-10 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play.

So far this season, the Mountaineers have gone 0-2 on the road, and they are just 2-8 in their last 10 road games. For the season, they have been outscored by an average of 1.8 points per game at home.

So far this season, the over/under record for West Virginia games is 9-7. The average scoring total in their games this year is 139.6 points, which is very close to the average over/under line of 139.2. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 and the average scoring total is 147 points.

As the underdog this season, West Virginia has gone 3-5 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Mountaineers have a 4-6 ATS record. On the road, West Virginia is 1-1 ATS this year and they have gone 4-6 ATS in their last 10 road games.

Coming into today’s game, Oklahoma is 13-3 on the season and has gone 1-2 in Big 12 play. The Sooners have won 12 of their 13 non-conference games, and they are 12-1 at home compared to 1-2 on the road.

Over their last 10 games at home, the Sooners have gone 9-1, and they have gone 4-1 over their last five games at home. They are currently on a three-game winning streak at home.

Today’s over/under line of 144.5 is right in line with the average over/under line in Oklahoma’s games this year (145.3). So far, their over/under record is 9-7. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 142 points.

As the favorite this season, Oklahoma has gone 8-4 vs. the spread. At home, the Sooners are 8-5 ATS this year and 5-5 in their last 10 games as the favorite.

Analysis

West Virginia recently showcased a strong offensive performance, scoring 76 points against Texas. This output exceeded their season average of 67.9 points per game. The top scorer for the Mountaineers was Patrick Suemnick with 16 points, while Kerr Kriisa also added 14 to the scoreboard.

At this time, the Mountaineers’ defense is positioned 148th in the country, permitting 71.7 points per game. In today’s game vs. Oklahoma, the West Virginia defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, West Virginia made 27 free throws vs. the Mountaineers.

In their latest game, Oklahoma’s offense put up 66 points against Kansas. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 40% and made 6 threes. Javian McCollum is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today’s matchup with an average of 15. Meanwhile, Otega Oweh also brings a PPG average of 14.2 into the game.

At this time, the Sooners’ defense is positioned 41st in the country, permitting 65.2 points per game. In today’s game vs. West Virginia, the Oklahoma defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Oklahoma made 17 free throws vs. the Sooners.

Betting Trends

• Although West Virginia has a straight-up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-2. The team averaged 58 points per game in these games.
• Although Oklahoma has a straight-up record of 2-8 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 3-7. The team averaged 66 points per game in these games.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Mountaineers have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-8.
• In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Sooners have a straight-up record of 10-0 and an ATS mark of 6-4.

Rich Crew’s Betting Pick

The sharp money appears to be landing on West Virginia, but I think the best bet is the O/U. WVU ranks poorly in most key offensive metrics and faces a good OU defense. The Sooners’ offense is adequate but has failed to score more than 72 points in four straight and a repeat of anything near that probably has Under bettors cashing. Take the Under 145.