Belmont Bruins vs Illinois State Redbirds NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/29/25
Planning on watching today’s Bruins and Redbirds game? Catch the action at CEFCU Arena in Normal, IL, as the Redbirds hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on Gray. The over/under for this game is set at 152.5 points, and Illinois State is favored by -3.5 vs. Belmont in a Missouri Valley conference matchup.
BELMONT BRUINS VS ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Illinois State Redbirds -3.5
This game will be played at CEFCU Arena at 9:00 ET on Wednesday, January 29th.
WHY BET THE ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-69 in favor of the Redbirds.
- Not only will Illinois State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 152.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 147 points.
Will the Bruins Find a Way to Win in Normal?
Belmont Bruins Recent Game/Games
Belmont improved to 14-6 on the season with a 95-77 road win over Murray State on Saturday. The Bruins entered the game as +4 point underdogs but not only pulled off the upset, they covered the spread with ease.
Belmont jumped out to a 55-37 lead at halftime and maintained that margin in the 2nd half, as both teams scored 40 points after the break. The total points for the game finished at 172, well over the pre-game O/U line of 150.5.
Belmont’s offense was firing on all cylinders, putting up 95 points with a 50.8% shooting performance from the field. They hit 45% from beyond the arc, connecting on 9 of 20 attempts, and were strong at the free-throw line, making 81.5% of their 27 attempts.
JaCobi Wood was a standout, hitting 5 of 8 from three-point range and finishing with 19 points and 6 assists. Drew Scharnowski was efficient, scoring 20 points on 7 of 9 shooting in just 18 minutes, while also grabbing 8 rebounds.
Despite Belmont’s defensive struggles, they allowed 77 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Bruins couldn’t contain their opponent inside, giving up 61% shooting on two-point attempts.
From beyond the arc, Belmont’s defense allowed 10 threes on 27 attempts, a 37% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 15 times, where they hit 9 free throws.
Will Illinois State Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?
Illinois State Redbirds Recent Game/Games
Illinois State fell to 11-9 on the season after a 61-57 road loss to Bradley on Saturday. The Redbirds, who were +8.5 point underdogs, kept the game closer than expected, covering the spread.
Trailing 28-26 at halftime, Illinois State scored 31 points in the 2nd half but allowed 33. The game’s total points (118) fell well below the O/U line of 141.5.
Illinois State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a field goal percentage of 31% (18/58). Their effective field goal percentage was 39.7%, and they hit only 33.3% of their two-point attempts (8/24) and 29.4% from beyond the arc (10/34).
Johnny Kinziger led the way with 16 points and 5 assists, while Ty Pence was perfect from the field, going 4/4 overall and 2/2 from three-point range. The Redbirds managed 11 offensive rebounds and 10 assists as a team.
Illinois State’s defense held their opponent to 61 points, allowing them to shoot 42% from the field. The Redbirds gave up 17 two-point baskets on 32 attempts, a 53% shooting rate.
From beyond the arc, Illinois State limited their opponent to 4 made threes on 18 attempts, a 22% shooting performance. They also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 15 attempts, shooting 88%. The Redbirds allowed 7 offensive rebounds.