Don’t miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Hilltoppers and Flames. The game is starting at 1:00 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 Liberty as the -5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 151.5 points.

WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS VS LIBERTY FLAMES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Liberty Flames -5

This game will be played at Liberty Arena at 1:00 ET on Saturday, March 9th.

WHY BET THE LIBERTY FLAMES:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Flames.
  • Not only will Liberty pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 151.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.

Will Western Kentucky Shock Everyone at Liberty Arena?

Western Kentucky will look to snap their three-game losing streak when they take on Liberty on the road. So far this season, the Hilltoppers have gone 19-10, including an 8-7 record in Conference USA.

On the road, Western Kentucky has gone 7-6, and their average scoring margin in these games is +2.2. As the underdog this season, the Hilltoppers have gone 6-4.

As the underdog, Western Kentucky has been solid vs. the spread this season, going 7-3. Their overall ATS mark is 15-11. On the road, the Hilltoppers are 8-5 vs. the spread this year and have gone 6-4 in their last 10 road games.

Western Kentucky’s over/under record this season sits at 12-14, and today’s line of 151.5 is very close to the average over/under line in their games (151.2). Their games have finished with more points than today’s line in 13 of their 29 games. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 162 points, and their OU record over their last 10 games is 6-4.

Western Kentucky’s offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 83 points against FIU. They had an overall field goal percentage of 45.8% and made 11/20 free throws. Offensively, the Hilltoppers have a season long field goal percentage of 46%, which is 92nd in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 235th in percentage and 240th in three-pointers made.

The Hilltoppers’ defense is presently ranked 247th nationally, allowing an average of 74.8 points per contest. So far, the Western Kentucky defense is giving up an average of 9.3 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 13.4 times per game (690th).

Do the Flames Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Liberty is 17-13 overall, but they have lost two games in a row. They are 6-9 in Conference USA games compared to 11-4 in non-conference games. At home, the Flames are 12-5, and they have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games at home.

As the favorite, Liberty is 14-10, and they have been favored in 24 of their 30 games. Their average scoring margin at home is +8.8, and their scoring margin on the road is -5.3. For the year, they have gone 2-8 on the road.

As the favorite, Liberty has an ATS record of 12-12 this season and has gone 3-7 vs. the spread in their last 10 games as the favorite. At home, the Flames have an 11-6 ATS mark this year and have gone 4-4 vs. the spread in their last 10 home games.

Today’s over/under line of 151.5 is higher than the average over/under line in Liberty’s games this season (137.3). So far, 21 of their games have finished with fewer points than today’s line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 129 points.

Liberty offense recently wrapped up a game with a total of 61 points against Middle Tennessee. In that game, they made 7/24 three-point attempts and achieved a field goal percentage of 49%. Zach Cleveland led the scoring for the Flames, contributing 17 points. Additionally, Kyle Rode chipped in with 12 points.

So far this season, the Liberty defense has been performing well, ranking 21st in the country at 65.0 points allowed per contest. In their most recent game, the Liberty defense struggled to defend the three-point line, as Middle Tennessee knocked down 10 three-pointers on their way to 69 points.