Eastern Illinois Panthers vs Tennessee State Tigers Betting Pick & Prediction 2/22/24

The Panthers and Tigers are set to face off at 8:30 ET on ESPN+. The Tigers will host the game at Gentry Center in Nashville, TN. This Ohio Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 136 points, and Tennessee State is favored to win by -5.5 at home vs. Eastern Illinois.

EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS VS TENNESSEE STATE TIGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Tennessee State Tigers -5.5

This game will be played at Gentry Center at 8:30 ET on Thursday, February 22nd.

WHY BET THE TENNESSEE STATE TIGERS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Tigers.
• Not only will Tennessee State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 136 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Will the Eastern Illinois Defense Show Up on the Road?

Eastern Illinois comes into this game with a 13-14 record after defeating Lindenwood 72-57. The team has struggled on the road, going 4-8, while having a slightly better record of 5-6 at home. Eastern Illinois has a current ATS record of 12-10-1 heading into today’s game. In their last five games, the team has gone 4-1 vs. the spread.

After 27 games, Eastern Illinois has an over/under record of 5-16-2, with their games averaging a combined 134.1 points per game so far. In their most recent three games, the Panthers’ over/under record is 0-3, with their games averaging 129 points per game.

The Eastern Illinois offense is coming off a game where they scored 72 points against Lindenwood. They posted a field goal percentage of 40.6% and connected on 7 threes. Leading the team in scoring is Tiger Booker, who is averaging 15.7 heading into today’s matchup. Additionally, Kyndall Davis also maintains a PPG average of 10.1 heading into game.

At present, the Panthers’ defense is nationally ranked 51st, allowing 66.7 points per game. Eastern Illinois’ three-point defense is currently 64th in the country at 6.1 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 39.0% of their shots vs. Eastern Illinois.

Can the Tigers Lock in a Home Win?

Heading into today’s game, the Tigers have a 15-12 record, having just lost to Western Illinois (68-61). Tennessee State has a 6-8 record on the road and a 5-4 record at home. Tennessee State’s record vs. the spread heading into today’s game stands at 9-14. Over their last five games, the team has gone 2-3 vs. the spread.

Through 27 games, Tennessee State has an over/under record of 9-14-0 with their games averaging a combined 141 points per game so far. When analyzing the Tigers’ last five games, they have produced a combined average of 134 points per game and an over/under record of 2-3.

In their most recent game, the Tennessee State offense put up just 61 points vs. the Western Illinois Leathernecks. Overall, they are now averaging 72.7 points per game which is 245th in the country. The top scorer for the Tigers was Marcus Fitzgerald Jr. with 20 points, while Jason Jitoboh also chipped in with 13 points.

At this time, the Tigers’ defense is positioned 122nd in the country, permitting 70.1 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Tennessee State’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 40.5% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 28.0% this season.