This Tuesday night at Fifth Third Arena, the Temple Owls will square off against the Cincinnati Bearcats in an AAC clash. The game is set to get underway at 9 p.m. (ET), and it will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.

It has been a rough go of it this season for Temple with an overall straight up record of 5-9 that includes a 0-4 start in the newly-formed American Athletic Conference. Its current losing streak reached four games with last Saturday’s 79-69 loss to No. 24 Memphis as a seven-point home underdog. It has failed to cover in three of its last four games to go 5-7 against the spread overall.

Cincinnati extended its current winning streak to eight games with a 71-51 romp over Rutgers this past Saturday as a 12-point home favorite. It is now 15-2 SU on the year with an 8-3 record ATS. The total stayed “under” the 130.5-point closing line against the Scarlet Knights, and it has stayed under in 10 of 11 games with a posted line.

Temple at Cincinnati Betting Storylines

The Owls have been able to generate some solid offense this season with 77.5 points a game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37.2 percent from 3-point range. The main problem has been on the other end of the court with a defense that is allowing an average of 75.9 points to its opponents. During this current four-game slide in conference play, this number has actually increased to 77.5 with their points per game dropping to 71.5.

Temple has four different players averaging at least 14 points a game, led by Dalton Pepper’s 17.2 point scoring average. He is shooting 48.9 percent from the floor and 43 percent from outside the perimeter. Quenton DeCosey has also been effective shooting the ball from the outside and is hitting 42.5 percent from 3-point range. Anthony Lee is pulling down 9.4 rebounds a game as a part of a team average of 36.6 while scoring 13.9 points, and Will Cummings leads the Owls in assists with 4.1 a game.

The Bearcats early run to the top of the AAC at 4-0 SU has been fueled by a defense that is holding opponents to an average of 56.2 points a game. They have not allowed more than 60 points in six of their last seven games. Scoring has been an issue at times for this team with an average of 71.5 points and a field goal percentage of just 42.3 percent, but they are shooting 71 percent from the free throw line and pulling down a respectable 38 rebounds a game.

At the center of it all has been senior guard Sean Kilpatrick with a team-high 18.4 points a game. Justin Jackson is the only other Bearcat scoring in double-figures with 11.5 points, and he also leads the team in rebounds with 7.5. Troy Caupain is the team’s best pure shooter with a 45.1 field goal percentage. He is hitting 46.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc and averaging 7.2 points a game.

Temple at Cincinnati Odds and Betting Trends

BetOnline has opened the Bearcats as 13.5-point home favorites over Temple for Tuesday’s AAC clash.

The Owls are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a SU loss, but they are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games on the road. The total has stayed “under” in seven of their last eight road games.

The Bearcats have covered in their last seven home games, and they are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a SU win. The total has stayed under in 38 of their last 52 home games.

The last time these two teams met was in 2006, with Cincinnati coming away with an 80-71 victory as a 1.5-point road underdog.

Free College Basketball Picks: Temple at Cincinnati Betting Predictions

Temple finds itself in a very tough situation to try and snap this four-game skid. The best play in this matchup could be the under depending on how low the actual total line is set, but the free pick for Tuesday night on the sides is Cincinnati minus the 13.5 points as once again its shut-down defense puts the clamps on its opponent to help cover the spread.

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Read more articles by Dave Schwab