The Shockers and Pirates are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Pirates will host the game at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, NC. This American Athletic conference matchup has an over/under of 138 points, and East Carolina is favored to win by -1.5 at home vs. Wichita State.

WICHITA STATE SHOCKERS VS EAST CAROLINA PIRATES BETTING PICK

The Pick: East Carolina Pirates -1.5

This game will be played at Minges Coliseum at 7:00 ET on Thursday, February 15th.

WHY BET THE EAST CAROLINA PIRATES:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-66 in favor of the Pirates.
  • Not only will East Carolina pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -1.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 138 points, and we like the over with a projected 144 points.

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

Wichita State enters this game as a 1.5-point underdog, and they have gone just 1-9 as the underdog this season. The Shockers have struggled on the road this year, going just 2-7, and they have lost six straight games away from home.

In their last game, Wichita State defeated UTSA by a score of 84-64. Over their last 10 road games, the Shockers have gone just 2-8, and they have gone 0-5 on the road over their last five games.

Wichita State has an overall ATS record of 8-13-1 this season and they are 3-5-1 vs. the spread on the road. As the underdog, the Shockers are 3-6-1 vs. the spread this year and they have gone 1-2 ATS in their last three games as the underdog. On the road, Wichita State has an ATS mark of 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

Today’s over/under line of 138 is lower than the average over/under line in Wichita State’s games this season (147.1). This year, 14 of their games have finished with more points than today’s over/under line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 and the average scoring total is 150 points.

In their latest game, Wichita State offense put up 84 points against UTSA. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 43.7% and made 7 threes. Offensively, the Shockers have a season long field goal percentage of 44%, which is 202nd in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 347th in percentage and 294th in three-pointers made.

So far, the Shockers’ defense is ranked 210th in the country at 73.9 points per contest. Wichita State’s three-point defense is currently 200th in the country at 8.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 40.5% of their shots vs. Wichita State.

Can the Pirates Live Up to the Hype at Home?

East Carolina is favored by 1.5 points at home against Wichita State, and the Pirates have gone 8-4 this season when favored. So far, they have an average scoring differential of +2.6 points per game at home.

East Carolina comes into this game with a 12-12 record, including a 5-6 mark in American Athletic Conference play. In their most recent game, the Pirates defeated UTSA by a score of 84-73.

East Carolina’s ATS record this season is currently 10-12-1. At home, their ATS mark is just 5-9-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Pirates have gone 3-6-1 vs. the spread.

East Carolina has an over/under record of 8-15 this season, and today’s line of 138 is lower than the average OU line in their games (141.6). So far, 12 of their games have finished with less than 138 points. In their last three games, the over/under record is 1-2 with an average scoring total of 135 points.

East Carolina is coming off a good offensive performance, putting up 84 points vs. UTSA. This figure is more than their season average of 69.5 points per game. Currently leading the team in scoring is Russell Felton Jr. who comes into today’s matchup averaging 16.2. Brandon Johnson also heads into the game with a PPG average of 13.5.

Coming into today’s game, the East Carolina defense is giving up an average of 68.3 points per contest. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, East Carolina’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 45.6% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 29.1% this season.