Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Bearkats and Flames. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it’s hosted by the Flames at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, VA. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Conference USA conference game currently have the Flames as the betting favorite with the over/under line sitting at 137.5 points.

SAM HOUSTON STATE BEARKATS VS LIBERTY FLAMES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Liberty Flames -9.5

This game will be played at Liberty Arena at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 20th.

WHY BET THE LIBERTY FLAMES:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-66 in favor of the Flames.
  • Not only will Liberty pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -9.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

No Pressure for Sam Houston State as Away Dogs

The Bearkats have a 10-8 record this season and are currently riding a four-game win streak. In their last game, they defeated Middle Tennessee by a score of 60-51. Sam Houston State has gone 3-0 in Conference USA action and 7-8 in non-conference games.

As the underdog, the Bearkats have gone 1-6 this season. On the road, they have a record of 4-6, and their average scoring margin is -5.6 points per game. So far, they have been the underdog in seven of their 18 games.

Sam Houston State has an overall ATS record of 9-8 this season, but they have gone 3-4 vs. the spread at home. As the underdog, the Bearkats have a mark of 3-4 vs. the spread this year. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Sam Houston State has gone 4-6 vs. the spread.

So far this season, the over/under record in Sam Houston State games is 10-7, and the average scoring total in their games is 143.6. Today’s over/under line of 137.5 is lower than the average OU line in their games this season (140.1). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 140 points.

Against Middle Tennessee, the Sam Houston State had a tough time putting up points compared to their season average of 72 points per game. They scored 60 points and posted a field goal percentage of 35% in the game. On offense, Sam Houston State has been struggling with their efficiency, coming into today’s game with a field goal percentgage of 40%. So far, they are 80th in free-throws made on a free throw shooting percentage of 72%.

At this time, the Bearkats’ defense is positioned 151st in the country, permitting 71.4 points per game. Against Middle Tennessee in their most recent game, the Sam Houston State defense gave up a total of 51 points while allowing Middle Tennessee to hit 32% of their shots.

Can Liberty Secure a Home Victory?

Liberty comes into this game with a record of 12-7 and a conference record of 1-3. They are 8-4 at home this season, and they have won their last game, beating FIU 78-69. The Flames are favored by 9.5 points today, and they have been favored in 13 of their 19 games, going 9-4 in those contests.

So far, Liberty has a scoring margin of +7.2 at home, compared to -3.8 on the road. Over their last 10 games at home, the Flames are 6-4, and they are 2-1 in their last three.

As the favorite this season, Liberty has gone 8-5 vs. the spread. However, they have not fared well ATS at home lately, going 0-2 in their last 3 home games and 0-3 in their last 5. Overall, their home ATS record this year is 7-5. For the season, the Flames are 8-8 ATS.

So far this season, the over/under record for Liberty games is 7-8-1. Today’s over/under line of 137.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this year (138.2). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 138 points, which is similar to the average over/under mark for the season.

The Flames’ offense wrapped up their last game with 78 points, aligning closely with their current season average of 76.2 points per contest. The Liberty offense has been looking to get up shots from outside so far this season, averaging 29.8 three-point attempts per contest. Overall, they have connected on 36% of their looks from outside this season.

The Flames’ defense is presently ranked 16th nationally, allowing an average of 63.2 points per contest. In their previous game vs. FIU, the Golden Panthers finished with a field goal percentage of 46% and a total of 69 points vs. Liberty.