Evansville Aces vs Southern Illinois Salukis NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/1/25

Betting on today’s Aces and Salukis game? Catch the action at Banterra Center in Carbondale, IL, as the Salukis hosts this showdown at 2:00 ET on ESPN+. This Missouri Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 139.5 points, and Southern Illinois is favored to win by -8.5 at home vs. Evansville.

EVANSVILLE ACES VS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SALUKIS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Evansville Aces +8.5

This game will be played at Banterra Center at 2:00 ET on Wednesday, January 1st.

WHY BET THE EVANSVILLE ACES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Salukis.
• Even though we have Southern Illinois winning straight-up, we like Evansville at +8.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Will Evansville Shock Everyone at Banterra Center?

Evansville improved to 3-9 on the season with a 57-40 win over Missouri State on Sunday, December 29th. The Aces were +4 point underdogs heading into the game but managed to cover the spread with the victory.

Evansville led 23-20 at halftime and clamped down defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 20 points while scoring 34 of their own. The game’s total of 97 points fell well short of the O/U line of 133.

Evansville’s offense struggled in their last game, putting up just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 38.3% and an effective field goal percentage of 46.8%. They hit 36.4% from beyond the arc, connecting on 8 of 22 attempts, and went 13 of 20 from the free-throw line, shooting 65%.

Cam Haffner led the Aces with 13 points, hitting 3 of 7 from deep, while Dez White added 12 points despite shooting just 23.1% overall. Tayshawn Comer had a tough night, going 1 for 8 from the field, missing all 4 of his three-point attempts, but he contributed 5 assists.

Evansville’s defense was strong, allowing just 40 points while holding their opponent to 38% shooting from the field. They limited two-point shots to 40% (10/25).

From beyond the arc, Evansville gave up 8 threes on 22 attempts (36%). They also sent their opponent to the line 20 times, where they hit 13 free throws (65%).

Can Southern Illinois Live Up to the Hype at Home?

Southern Illinois Salukis Recent Game/Games

Southern Illinois fell to 3-8 on the season after a 78-67 road loss to Northern Iowa on Sunday. The Salukis entered the game as +10.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 145, just under the O/U line of 147.5.

Southern Illinois trailed 38-34 at halftime and were outscored 40-33 in the second half. The Salukis couldn’t close the gap, allowing Northern Iowa to pull away in the final period.

Southern Illinois put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 45.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.6%. They connected on 8 of 24 three-point attempts, hitting 33.3% from deep, while shooting 54.5% on two-pointers.

Jacob Hutson and Jarrett Hensley each scored 20 points, with Hutson shooting 70.0% from the field in just 23 minutes. Tytan Anderson added 15 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 6 of 7 shots.

Southern Illinois struggled defensively, giving up 78 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 55% from the field. They had a tough time defending inside, where they conceded 22 two-point baskets on 35 attempts, a 62% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Southern Illinois allowed 7 threes on 17 attempts, with their opponent shooting 41%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they made 13, a 76% success rate. The Salukis gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.