Preview: West Virginia at Cincinnati in Big 12 Clash CINCINNATI (Interstat) — A tight Big 12 Conference rematch is set for Thursday afternoon when the West Virginia Mountaineers visit the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena. West Virginia (14-8, 4-5 Big 12) aims to sweep the regular-season series after edging Cincinnati 62-60 in Morgantown on Jan. 6. The Mountaineers have lost two of their last three, including a 63-53 home defeat to then-Baylor last Saturday. Cincinnati (11-11, 4-5) looks to rebound from a 76-54 road loss at Houston the same day and level the season series on its home floor. The matchup features two teams with identical conference records seeking momentum in a crowded league standings race. West Virginia holds the better overall record but is just 2-5 in true road games this season. A key player to watch is West Virginia guard Brenen Lorient, who is coming off a 19-point performance against Baylor and has averaged 13.4 points over his last seven contests. His scoring punch will be vital for a Mountaineers offense that has been held under 60 points in three of its five conference losses. For Cincinnati, guard Jalen Celestine provides a scoring spark. He led the Bearcats with 15 points in the loss at Houston and has reached double figures in three of his last six outings. Cincinnati’s success often hinges on its defense at home, where it is 9-3 this season. In the first meeting, West Virginia survived despite shooting 36.2% from the field, relying on defense and a 15-5 advantage in points off turnovers to secure the win. Replicating that defensive pressure on the road will be a primary focus. The Bearcats have shown resilience at home in conference play, notching wins over Baylor and Iowa State in January. They will need to improve upon their 34.4% shooting performance from the first matchup to defend their home court. Thursday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. EST and will be televised on ESPN2.