West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State College Basketball Picks: Revenge Spot For Mountaineers

West Virginia has payback on its mind as it takes on Oklahoma State. Can the Mountaineers avenge their senior night and Big 12 tournament losses, or will the Cowboys start their road trip on a high note? We look at our favorite West Virginia-Oklahoma State picks for Tuesday's matchup.

The key to regular-season success may be how a team works through COVID-19-related absences. West Virginia lost leading scorer Taz Sherman and valuable bench player Gabe Osabuohien to protocols for a 74-59 loss at Texas. However, both players returned for a bounce-back home win over Kansas State to put the Mountaineers at 12-2 on the campaign.

Oklahoma State (8-5) has dodged any significant COVID-19 problems within its own program, but it's had multiple games postponed due to issues with other teams. The Cowboys postponed their New Year's Day game against Texas Tech to Jan. 13, creating a grueling upcoming schedule featuring three Big 12 conference games in just five days.

Here's my pick and prediction for the Jan. 11 college basketball matchup between West Virginia and Oklahoma State (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Game Info

Date/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 11, 9:00 p.m. ETTV: ESPN2Location: WVU Coliseum, Morgantown, WV

West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Odds Analysis

West Virginia is 7-7 against the spread but has failed to cover its past two games. The Mountaineers are just 4-5 at home this season, though they're 41-31-1 (56.9%) ATS in Big 12 games at WVU Coliseum since the 2013-14 campaign.

Oklahoma State is just 5-8 ATS and has failed to cover six of its past seven games. The Cowboys played one "true" road game at Oral Roberts and failed to cover. This is their first road affair outside of the state of Oklahoma this season.

West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Picks

West Virginia -3 (-110) ????Over 135 (-108) ???

SEE ALSO: All College Basketball Picks

West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State Predictions

West Virginia -3 (-110)

The Mountaineers annually reinvent ways to win under future Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins. For the past few years, West Virginia's attack ran through big man Derek Culver, who's now playing in the NBA's G League. Huggins has his roster back to a more recognizable "Press Virginia" this season, ranking eighth in the country in defensive turnover percentage, according to KenPom. West Virginia has defended its home court, going 9-0 with impressive wins over Oakland, Connecticut, and Kansas State.

Sherman and Osabuohien's absence provided other players the opportunity to earn valuable experience. Sophomore forward Jalen Bridges (7.6 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game) scored a season-high 18 points with three steals and a block in the loss at Texas. He strengthens a West Virginia offense that will be ready for Oklahoma State.

The Mountaineers are motivated, too, after losing 85-80 to Oklahoma State on senior night last year. The Cowboys followed that with a 72-69 win over Huggins' squad in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.

Oklahoma State struggles against pressure, ranking 302nd in offensive turnover percentage, per KenPom. This is also a terrible spot for the Cowboys, who are playing the first of three difficult conference road games in five days.

The Cowboys have struggled on offense this season, shooting just 29.4% from 3-point territory and 66.3% from the free-throw line. That's a bad combination for a game at Morgantown. I'm laying the 3 points with West Virginia at home in a revenge spot.

Over 135 (-108)

Though both teams feature elite defenses, the fast pace of Oklahoma State combined with the turnover pressure of West Virginia should push this game Over the total.

These two teams feature styles that create a frenetic pace. Last year, two of the three games exceeded 160 points. The Mountaineers have also reached 71 or more points in five of their eight home games this season.

I expect a vintage West Virginia performance in front of a raucous crowd in Morgantown, so I'm taking the Over in another exciting battle with the Cowboys.

SEE ALSO: All picks and odds. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

West Virginia-Oklahoma State picks made 1/11/2022 at 10:59 a.m. ET