Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Liberty Flames NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25

Looking to win big? The Blue Raiders and Flames face off at 6:00 ET on CBSS. The Flames are hosting the game at Liberty Arena in Lynchburg, VA. The over/under for this Conference USA conference contest is set at 139.5 points, with Liberty being favored by -7.5 at home against Middle Tennessee.

MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS VS LIBERTY FLAMES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Liberty Flames -7.5

This game will be played at Liberty Arena at 6:00 ET on Saturday, January 4th.

WHY BET THE LIBERTY FLAMES:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-68 in favor of the Flames.
• Not only will Liberty pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -7.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.

No Pressure for Middle Tennessee as Away Dogs

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Recent Game/Games

Middle Tennessee improved to 8-4 on the season with a 73-69 road win over FIU on Thursday. The Blue Raiders, who entered the game as -3.5 favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

After trailing 35-32 at halftime, Middle Tennessee turned things around by outscoring FIU 41-34 in the second half. The game’s total points of 142 fell short of the 150-point over/under line.

Middle Tennessee put up 73 points in their latest game, shooting 45.6% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50.9%. They hit 52.6% of their two-point attempts and 31.6% from beyond the arc, connecting on 6 of 19 three-point shots. At the free-throw line, the Blue Raiders shot 65.2%, making 15 of 23 attempts.

Vianney Salatchoum led the way with 21 points, shooting 71.4% from the field and hitting his only three-point attempt. Jlynn Counter added 17 points, shooting 75.0% overall, while Asim Jones and Camryn Weston each contributed 15 points, with Jones also dishing out 5 assists.

Middle Tennessee’s defense gave up 69 points, with the opposing team shooting 50% from the field, hitting 29 of their 57 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 23 made baskets on 42 attempts, resulting in a 54% shooting percentage.

From three-point range, the opposing team connected on 6 of 15 shots, shooting 40%. Middle Tennessee also sent them to the free-throw line 6 times, where they made 5, shooting 83%. The Blue Raiders allowed 8 offensive rebounds.

Are Liberty Ready for a Home Win?

Liberty Flames Recent Game/Games

The Flames dropped to 9-2 on the season after a 71-70 loss to Western Kentucky on Thursday. Liberty, who were -10 favorites at home, failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game finished at 141, just under the O/U line of 146.5.

Liberty looked strong early, leading 35-21 at halftime. However, they allowed 50 points in the second half while scoring 35, resulting in the narrow loss.

Liberty’s offense put up 70 points in their last game, shooting 43.5% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, with two-point shooting at 54.3% (19/35) and three-point shooting at 29.6% (8/27). They struggled from the free-throw line, hitting just 50% (8/16) of their attempts.

Zach Cleveland and Julius Thedford each scored 18 points, with Cleveland adding 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Kaden Metheny contributed 17 points, connecting on 4 of 10 from beyond the arc. Owen Aquino had a strong performance, shooting 62.5% (5/8) and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Tyrone Marshall Jr. was nearly perfect, hitting 6 of 7 shots and pulling down 8 boards.

Liberty’s defense gave up 71 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field on 27 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, the Flames allowed 54% shooting, as the other team went 19 for 35 on two-point shots.

From three-point range, Liberty held their opponent to 29% shooting, with just 8 makes on 27 attempts. The Flames also sent the other team to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 8 shots for 50%. Liberty gave up 7 offensive rebounds in the game.