The Belmont Bruins (14-7, 5-3 OVC) will be at Hooper Eblen Arena to square off against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (5-16, 2-6 OVC) in an OVC matchup. The game starts at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 30, 2020, and will air on ESPNU.
Belmont Bruins vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Betting Odds
Both teams fell in their last game. The Golden Eagles fell to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 80-74, while the Bruins were defeated by the Austin Peay Governors, 86-78.
Belmont had a better effective field goal percentage (0.563 vs. 0.540) while Tennessee Tech held Eastern Kentucky to an offensive rebounding percentage of 19.4 (below their season average of 26.9). Tennessee Tech was led by Amadou Sylla, who put up 10 points and eight rebounds. Grayson Murphy had a good outing for Belmont, putting up 23 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
The Bruins dominated this series last year, winning both contests. In the last game, Belmont won 93-65. Getting to the charity stripe was one of Belmont’s biggest strengths. They made 28 trips to the line, while Tennessee Tech went just 11 times. This is the first time these teams will clash this year.
The inefficient offense of Tennessee Tech will square off against the elite defense of Belmont. The Golden Eagles currently rank 338th in offensive efficiency, while the Bruins are 59th in defensive efficiency. The Bruins should have the edge on that end of the court. Also, the Bruins, who rank 348th in free throw attempt (FTA) rate (0.142), will go head-to-head against the Golden Eagles, who rank 54th in opponents’ FTA rate (0.180).
Belmont Bruins vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Free Pick
Basketball Pick: SU Winner – Belmont, ATS Winner – Belmont, O/U – Under
Betting Notes:
- Belmont averages 18.8 assists per game, which ranks second in the NCAA. Tennessee Tech ranks 221st in assists allowed per game (15.3).
- The Bruins rank 137th in steals per game (6.3) while the Golden Eagles rank 185th in steals allowed per game (7.6).
- The Bruins rank 23rd in rebounds per game (40.0) while the Golden Eagles rank 184th (34.8).
- Belmont ranks 14th in three pointers attempted per game (28.6) while Tennessee Tech ranks 152nd in three pointers allowed per game (22.0).
Bettings Trends:
- The Golden Eagles’ average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 5.6, down from 8.9 for the season.
- During their last five games, the Bruins have scored an average of 80.4 points per game (0.7 below their season average) and allowed an average of 72.8 points per game (4.1 above their season average).
