Sam Houston State Bearkats vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Pick & Prediction 2/1/24

Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bearkats and Hilltoppers. The game is starting at 9:00 ET on CBSS, and it’s hosted by the Hilltoppers at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, KY. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Conference USA conference game currently have Western Kentucky as the -4.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 156.5 points.

SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS VS WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -4.5

This game will be played at E. A. Diddle Arena at 9:00 ET on Thursday, February 1st.

WHY BET THE WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-67 in favor of the Hilltoppers.
  • Not only will Western Kentucky pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 156.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.

Does Sam Houston State Have What it Takes to Win as Road Underdogs?

Sam Houston State is 12-9 overall and 5-1 in Conference USA. They have won two straight games, and their record as the underdog is 1-7. On the road, the Bearkats are 4-7, and their average scoring margin is -6.5. Their most recent game was a 60-56 win over UTEP.

For the season, Sam Houston State has been the underdog eight times, and they are 1-7 in those games. Their record as the favorite is 10-2. Over their last 10 road games, the Bearkats are 3-7, and their record on the road this season is 1-4.

As the underdog, Sam Houston State has gone 3-5 vs. the spread this season and 4-6 in their last 10 games as the underdog. On the road, the Bearkats are 6-5 vs. the spread this year and 5-5 in their last 10 road games. Overall, their ATS record is 10-10 this season.

Today’s over/under line of 156.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Sam Houston State’s games this season (140.2). So far, 17 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1.

The Sam Houston State offense, in their latest game, managed to score just 60 points versus UTEP. During the game, they attempted 13 three-point shots and had a field goal percentage of 40.6%. Leading the team in scoring is Davon Barnes, who is averaging 13.9 heading into today’s matchup. Additionally, Lamar Wilkerson also maintains a PPG average of 15 heading into game.

In terms of defense, Sam Houston State is currently on par with the NCAA average for points allowed, giving up an average of 71.0 points per game. The Sam Houston State defense is coming off a game in which they gave up a total of 56 points and allowed UTEP to connect on 3 threes.

Can the Hilltoppers Pull Off a Home Win?

Western Kentucky has been strong at home this season, going 6-2 compared to 5-4 on the road. The Hilltoppers have won six straight games at home, and their average scoring margin at home is +2.8 points per game.

Overall, Western Kentucky is 14-6 on the season, including a 3-3 mark in Conference USA. The Hilltoppers have been favored in seven of their nine games and have gone 7-2 in those contests.

As the favorite this season, Western Kentucky has gone 5-4 against the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Hilltoppers have a mark of 6-4 vs. the spread. At home this year, Western Kentucky is 4-4 vs. the spread.

Western Kentucky’s over/under record for the season is 7-10 and the average scoring total in their games is 153.6 points. Today’s over/under line of 156.5 is higher than the average OU line in their games (150.7). So far this year, 13 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s OU line. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 172 points and their OU record during this span is 2-1.

Western Kentucky is fresh off a strong offensive showing, putting up 105 points versus FIU. This output is higher than their season-average of 80.5 points per game. The top scorer for the Hilltoppers was Dontaie Allen with 30 points, while Donald McHenry also added 17 to the scoreboard.

So far, the Hilltoppers’ defense is ranked 235th in the country at 75.1 points per contest. In their previous game vs. FIU, the Golden Panthers finished with a field goal percentage of 65% and a total of 91 points vs. Western Kentucky.