NBA Postseason Best Bets (5/17)
Alex Christenson
The college basketball season is less than three weeks away, and here at FTN Bets we have you covered for what promises to be another thrilling year of upsets and incredible finishes. I will be taking you around the country with a betting preview of the major conferences. I recap the betting trends from last season, list projected starters, preview the season, identify a key player and reveal how I’m backing or fading each team.
Let’s start with the best conference in college basketball, the Big 12. Last season ended a three-year streak of Big 12 representation in the NCAA Championship game, including consecutive championships from Baylor (2020-2021) and Kansas (2021-2022). This year, the conference will add four new teams in Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF. With 14 total teams, will we see a change with the top teams, or will the dominance of national powerhouses such as Kansas, Texas and Baylor be magnified further?
Let’s take a look at our betting preview for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
2023-2024 Cincinnati Bearcats Betting Preview
Conference: Big 12
Head Coach: Wes Miller (3rd season)
2022-2023 Record: 23-13 (11-7)
ATS: 23-12
O/U: 16-18-1
Projected Starters: G Day Day Thomas; G John Newman III; G Simas Lukosius; F Ody Oguama; C Viktor Lakhin
Cincinnati had a very solid season in Miller’s second campaign, finding five more wins with a four-game improvement within the AAC. However, this is a massive jump, even for a legendary college basketball program such as Cincinnati. The Bearcats replace four of their top-five scorers and have the challenge of only returning 33% of their minutes from last season. It was a tale of two seasons at Cincinnati in Wes Miller’s first year as head coach. The key to success will rely on whether the NCAA grants waivers to 6-foot-10 Jamille Reynolds and 7-foot Aziz Bandaogo. That frontcourt presence would perfectly balance a deep roster of guards, led by lightning-quick Day Day Thomas and defensive stopper John Newman who missed the entire season with a meniscus injury.
Key Player: Aziz Bandaogo
Want to change the culture of your program through the transfer portal? The Bearcats clawed Aziz Bandaogo from the portal and attained an immediate defensive upgrade. Bandaogo fueled Utah Valley’s run through the NIT and garnered some NBA scout eyes as an elite rim protector. Don’t be surprised to find Bandaogo inside the top-three in blocks in the nation and lurking among the Big 12 leaders in rebounds. Bandaogo had a mind-blowing 13 games with four or more blocks last season at Utah Valley.
Projection: If (and it’s a big if) the Bearcats get both Reynolds and Bandaogo eligible, this is a dangerous sleeper in the Big 12. Lakhin could take a massive step forward as a versatile 6-foot-11 two-way player who posts a nightly double-double with three-plus steals/blocks. Miller’s team was close to top-50 in both offensive and defensive efficiency per KenPom and led the AAC with 37% 3P accuracy. I need to see what their full roster becomes, but Miller’s coaching prowess has translated to immediate success. I am much more bullish on the Bearcats’ transition to Big 12 play than the other newcomers.
How I’m Betting Cincinnati: The Bearcats were the 10th-best CBB team ATS last season, including an incredible 14-4 ATS at home. Miller found great success with smaller teams at UNC Greensboro, so Cincinnati will be competitive regardless of their roster. However, if Reynolds or Bandaogo (or both) get cleared, this will be one of my favorite nightly underdog bets throughout the season.
