NCAAB · 11 months ago

2024 Big 12-Big East Battle: Game-by-Game Predictions

David Connelly

Host · Writer

Oklahoma State at Seton Hall
There might not be a power conference program off to a rougher start to the season than Seton Hall. The Pirates have fallen 35 spots in KenPom since the beginning of the season and have been abysmal on offense through their first eight games, eclipsing the 60-point mark in just three of their contests. Oklahoma State hasn't shown much of a pulse themselves, with just one win over a lowly Miami team across three games at the Charleston Classic, but they should be favored here. Expect a rock fight with an unfathomably low total that could finish in the 50s.

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No. 14 Cincinnati at Villanova
There may not be a team that needs a game more than Villanova needs this one at home. They are facing off against a quality opponent in Cincinnati, a victory that could help offset previous defeats to Columbia and St. Joseph's. The key matchup here is the battle between Villanova's Eric Dixon and Cincinnati's Aziz Bandaogo. If Bandaogo and the Bearcats can find a way to frustrate and limit Dixon, it cuts a lot of their offensive production at the source and forces others to step up. Wes Miller has a chokehold of a defense that has already traveled well in two true road games this season, so we'll back the Bearcats to get it done here as the more complete team.

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BYU at Providence
The Friars need Bryce Hopkins back from injury, and they need him badly. After a handful of ho-hum victories in buy games to start the season 5-0, the Battle 4 Atlantis felt like it would be the team's first true litmus test. They failed miserably, coming in last place and leaving the Bahamas winless through three games. There is not enough talent or offense on this roster to compete at a high level, and that's where the Cougars could punish. Watch out for stud freshman Egor Demin, a projected lottery pick in the NBA Draft who could be in for a big night. BYU gets it done going away.
No. 15 Baylor at No. 25 Connecticut
In what was perhaps expected to be the headliner of the entire Big East-Big 12 Battle, a disastrous first month for the Huskies has slightly taken some luster off this matchup. Nevertheless, it's still a ranked matchup in what should be a rocking Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night. The unit that will decide this game is the UConn defense. It must elevate its play on the defensive side of the ball if it wants to win this game, as it currently sits 85th in the nation in defensive efficiency on KenPom. If Dan Hurley can get his guys to string together enough stops, we see them pulling this one out.
No. 1 Kansas at Creighton
The status of Ryan Kalkbrenner is the most important piece of news to monitor as we approach tip for this matchup. He sat out the team's final game at the Players Era Festival over the weekend due to a lower-body injury, and his status entering this matchup is unclear. If he can play, it sets the table for a matchup of perhaps the two best big men in the sport between him and Kansas's Hunter Dickinson. The Bluejays will undoubtedly be underdogs even inside their own building. Still, they have conjured up some magical wins at home in recent years, most notably a demolition of UConn last February.
DePaul at Texas Tech
So you want to be considered good, DePaul? It's time to step up to the big leagues and prove it. The Blue Demons stand only with Marquette as the only two undefeated teams remaining in the Big East, thanks to a stretch of seven consecutive home games against teams outside KenPom's top 200 to start the year. A trip to Lubbock to face a physical Texas Tech squad will tell us everything we need to know about the legitimacy of this team, a game where they will enter as double-digit underdogs. We will back the Red Raiders to take care of business at home here, but don't be surprised if DePaul is lurking around at halftime and potentially into the second frame.
No. 5 Marquette at No. 6 Iowa State
What a travesty it is that this game will be aired on ESPN+. In 14 combined games played by these two teams this season, their only loss came when the Cyclones blew an 18-point lead to Auburn at the Maui Invitational. They have each racked up some notable victories in the season's opening month and have a chance to catapult themselves into the discussion as the best team in the nation with a victory here. Marquette superstar Kam Jones has a real opportunity to usher himself into the national spotlight with a big-time performance here. He has elevated his game as the alpha on the team this season and could put himself as an early frontrunner in the National Player of the Year discussion.
Georgetown at West Virginia
Can Georgetown finally take a step forward with Ed Cooley at the helm? This matchup feels like their first chance at doing so after taking care of business in a bunch of buy games while dropping a home matchup against lowly Notre Dame last month. The Mountaineers have proven to be no slouch under new head coach Darian DeVries. He and his son Tucker DeVries have brought immediate success to the program after coming in from Drake, beating Gonzaga and Arizona during their time at the Battle 4 Atlantis. A win here, and they are just three buy-games away from cruising into Big 12 play with a 9-2 record and a decent chance at an at-large bid.
Xavier at TCU
It's shaping up to be a down year for a pair of programs with recent NCAA Tournament success, each with a win in the Big Dance within the past three seasons. While Xavier's record boasts a decisive 7-1, they have flirted with danger multiple times against lowly opponents at home, most recently in a three-point victory over South Carolina State that took all 40 minutes to secure. TCU has dropped three of four, most notably a pair of neutral court losses to Santa Clara and Colorado State at the Acrisure Invitational. It's difficult to pick a winner out of this one, but it's safe to say that the loser will be in all-out panic mode entering the holidays.
Kansas State at St. John’s

With the amount of NIL spent to bring in players like Coleman Hawkins and Dug McDaniel, the start of the year for Kansas State has been a disappointment. We still believe that head coach Jerome Tang can right the ship here, and a road win against a team like St. John's would be a fantastic start. The Johnnies have little to hang their hat on besides a home win over New Mexico, but they have shown flashes. That can be seen by the fact that they have only fallen two spots in KenPom since the start of the year despite losses to Baylor and Georgia, so we aren't too concerned about the Red Storm and their expectations entering December play.
Butler at No. 17 Houston
This game couldn't come soon enough for the Houston Cougars. Kelvin Sampson's squad was stunned at the Players Era Festival, finishing in fourth place after falling to Alabama and San Diego State. They are now off four seven days before this contest tips on Saturday, meaning they will be plenty rested and ready to exercise some demons. Good luck to Butler, who racked up a pair of solid victories over Northwestern and Mississippi State at the Arizona Tip-Off last week but play a home game on Tuesday. Rest and bounce-back could play a factor here, so be prepared for a blowout performance from Houston in this one.
Oklahoma State at Seton Hall
There might not be a power conference program off to a rougher start to the season than Seton Hall. The Pirates have fallen 35 spots in KenPom since the beginning of the season and have been abysmal on offense through their first eight games, eclipsing the 60-point mark in just three of their contests. Oklahoma State hasn't shown much of a pulse themselves, with just one win over a lowly Miami team across three games at the Charleston Classic, but they should be favored here. Expect a rock fight with an unfathomably low total that could finish in the 50s.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
No. 14 Cincinnati at Villanova
There may not be a team that needs a game more than Villanova needs this one at home. They are facing off against a quality opponent in Cincinnati, a victory that could help offset previous defeats to Columbia and St. Joseph's. The key matchup here is the battle between Villanova's Eric Dixon and Cincinnati's Aziz Bandaogo. If Bandaogo and the Bearcats can find a way to frustrate and limit Dixon, it cuts a lot of their offensive production at the source and forces others to step up. Wes Miller has a chokehold of a defense that has already traveled well in two true road games this season, so we'll back the Bearcats to get it done here as the more complete team.

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2024 Big 12-Big East Battle: Game-by-Game Predictions

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