UIC Flames vs Missouri State Bears NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/7/25

Betting on today’s Flames and Bears game? Catch the action at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, MO, as the Bears hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. This Missouri Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 138.5 points, and Missouri State is favored to win by -2.5 at home vs. UIC.

UIC FLAMES VS MISSOURI STATE BEARS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Missouri State Bears -2.5

This game will be played at Great Southern Bank Arena at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, January 7th.

WHY BET THE MISSOURI STATE BEARS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Bears.
• Not only will Missouri State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 138.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.

Will the UIC Defense Show Up on the Road?

UIC fell to 7-5 on the season after a 92-87 road loss to Belmont on Saturday. The Flames entered the game as +6 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 179, surpassing the O/U line of 159.5.

UIC trailed 46-43 at halftime and continued to battle in the second half, scoring 44 points while allowing 46. Despite the loss, the Flames showed resilience by keeping the game closer than expected.

UIC put up 87 points in their latest game, shooting 46.9% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 56.2%. They connected on 62.1% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 34.3% from beyond the arc, making 12 threes. At the free-throw line, they shot 71.4%, converting 15 of 21 attempts.

Jonathan Pierre led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 50% overall and 42.9% from three. Carter Whitt added 20 points, hitting 4 of 7 from deep, while Isaiah Walker and Ahmad Henderson II each contributed 18 points, with Henderson knocking down 4 threes at a 50% rate.

UIC Flames gave up 92 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 47% from the field on 32 of 67 attempts. Inside the arc, the Flames allowed 52% shooting, as their opponents hit 20 of 38 two-point shots.

From three-point range, UIC’s defense allowed 12 made threes on 29 attempts, a 41% shooting performance. At the free-throw line, their opponents converted 16 of 18 attempts, shooting 88%. UIC also gave up 11 offensive rebounds.

Can the Bears Hold Strong at Home?

Missouri State fell to 5-8 on the season after a 69-60 road loss to Bradley on Saturday. The Bears were +11.5 point underdogs but managed to keep the game closer than expected. The combined 129 points fell short of the 134.5 O/U line.

Missouri State trailed 30-28 at halftime and allowed 39 points in the 2nd half while scoring 32. Despite the loss, the Bears covered the spread.

Missouri State struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.1% from the field and 22.6% from beyond the arc, finishing with 60 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 44.4%, and they hit only 5 of 13 free throws, a 38.5% rate.

Vincent Brady II led the Bears with 29 points, shooting 57.1% overall, though he was just 3 of 10 from three. Christian Davis was perfect from the field, going 6 for 6 and 2 for 2 from deep, adding 19 points and 3 assists.

Missouri State’s defense gave up 69 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 48% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 15 of 25 shots to fall, a 60% success rate.

From three-point range, the opposing team hit 7 of 20 attempts, shooting 35%. Missouri State also sent them to the line 20 times, where they converted 18 free throws, a 90% clip.