The No. 9 Baylor Bears (19-13) battle against the No. 8 Syracuse Orange (20-13) in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Orange opened as a 2-point favorite. The game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 130.5 points and action starts at 9:57 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 21, 2019.
Baylor Bears vs. Syracuse Orange Betting Odds
Both teams lost in their last matchup. The Orange fell to the fifth-ranked Duke Blue Devils, 84-72, while the Bears were defeated by the Iowa State Cyclones, 83-66.
Baylor had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (40.0 vs. 30.0) while Syracuse forced Duke into a turnover percentage of 21.3 (above their season average of 14.9). Syracuse’s Frank Howard played well, putting up 28 points. Meanwhile, Baylor received a boost from Mario Kegler, who finished with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Bears games have gone over the projected point total 50.0 percent of the time. Baylor comes into the game with records of 19-13 straight up (SU) and 17-13-2 against the spread (ATS).
Vegas is known to set the total high when the Orange are involved, as 57.6 percent of their games have gone under the total. Additionally, Syracuse owns records of 20-13 SU and 19-14 ATS.
Half-court execution will be at a premium when two of the nation’s slowest-paced teams battle. Syracuse ranks 275th in possessions per game (67.0) and Baylor is 313th (66.0). Additionally, the Bears rank 279th in turnover percentage (20.1 percent), while the Orange rank 12th in opponents’ turnover percentage (23.5 percent).
Baylor vs. Syracuse Pick
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Syracuse, ATS Winner – Baylor, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- Baylor ranks 32nd in rebounds allowed per game (31.7) while Syracuse ranks 243rd (37.1).
- The Orange rank 17th in steals per game (8.3) while the Bears rank 145th (6.1).
- Baylor ranks 117th in assists per game (13.8) while Syracuse ranks 239th in assists allowed per game (14.7).
- The Bears rank 88th in three pointers allowed per game (20.8) while the Orange rank 287th (26.1).
- Syracuse ranks 18th in blocks per game (4.8) while Baylor ranks 196th in blocks allowed per game (4.2).
Bettings Trends:
- During their last five games, the Bears have scored an average of 68.8 points per game (2.9 below their season average) and allowed an average of 75.4 points per game (8.2 above their season average).
- The Orange have been outscored by an average of 2.2 points in their last five games. For the season, Syracuse has defeated opponents by an average of 4.0 points.
