East Tennessee State Buccaneers vs VMI Keydets NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 2/5/25
Betting on today’s Buccaneers and Keydets game? Catch the action at Cameron Hall in Lexington, VA, as the Keydets hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. In this Southern matchup, East Tennessee State is favored bt -6.5 vs. VMI. The over/under for the game is 141.5 points.
EAST TENNESSEE STATE BUCCANEERS VS VMI KEYDETS BETTING PICK
The Pick: VMI Keydets +6.5
This game will be played at Cameron Hall at 6:00 ET on Wednesday, February 5th.
WHY BET THE VMI KEYDETS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Keydets.
- Not only will VMI pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +6.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 141.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.
Does East Tennessee State Have What it Takes on the Road?
East Tennessee State Buccaneers Recent Game/Games
East Tennessee State moved above .500 for the season with a 72-69 win over Furman on Sunday, February 2nd. The Buccaneers, who were favored by 3 points, pushed against the spread.
ETSU led 37-32 at halftime and scored 35 points in the 2nd half while allowing 37. The total points for the game were 141, just over the 140.5 O/U line.
East Tennessee State put up 72 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 51.9%. They hit 56.2% of their two-point attempts and went 6-for-20 from beyond the arc, shooting 30% from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they connected on 18 of 22 attempts, good for 81.8%.
Jaden Seymour led the way with 23 points, shooting 61.5% from the field. PJay Smith Jr. added 17 points, hitting 3 of 7 from deep, while Quimari Peterson contributed 16 points despite shooting just 26.7% overall. Karon Boyd was perfect from the field, going 4-for-4 and grabbing 13 rebounds.
East Tennessee State’s defense gave up 69 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 46% from the field on 24 of 52 attempts. Inside the arc, the Buccaneers allowed 56% shooting, as their opponents connected on 18 of 32 two-point shots.
From three-point range, East Tennessee State’s defense held their opponents to 30% shooting, with 6 made threes on 20 attempts. The Buccaneers also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 22 times, where they made 18 free throws, an 81% success rate. East Tennessee State allowed 6 offensive rebounds in the game.
Can the Keydets Offense Score Enough at Home?
VMI improved to 7-12 on the season with an 80-76 road win over Western Carolina on Saturday. The Keydets entered the game as -1.5 favorites and covered the spread.
VMI led 37-34 at halftime and managed to hold off the Catamounts, who scored 37 points in the 2nd half. The Keydets put up 34 points after the break. The game’s total points of 156 went over the 145.5 O/U line.
VMI’s offense put up 80 points in their last game, shooting 41% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 50.8%. They connected on 12 of 33 three-point attempts, hitting 36.4% from deep, and were solid at the free-throw line, making 18 of 22 for 81.8%.
Bernard Pelote led the way with 27 points, shooting 52.9% overall and 41.7% from three. Rickey Bradley Jr. added 23 points, while Cord Stansberry hit 6 of 7 threes, finishing with 18 points on 60% shooting.
VMI’s defense gave up 76 points in their last game, allowing the opposing team to shoot 40% from the field, with 27 made field goals on 66 attempts. The Keydets held their opponent to 40% shooting from two-point range, with 12 makes on 30 attempts.
From beyond the arc, VMI’s defense allowed 15 threes on 36 attempts, a 41% shooting performance. They also sent the opposing team to the free-throw line 11 times, where they converted 7 free throws, shooting 63%. VMI gave up 10 offensive rebounds in the game.