Tennessee State Tigers vs Western Illinois Leathernecks Betting Pick & Prediction 1/20/24

Betting on today’s Tigers and Leathernecks game? Catch the action at Western Hall in Macomb, IL, as the Leathernecks hosts this showdown at 4:30 ET on ESPN+. This Ohio Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 137.5 points, and the Leathernecks are favored to win at home vs. the Tigers.

TENNESSEE STATE TIGERS VS WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Western Illinois Leathernecks -2.5

This game will be played at Western Hall at 4:30 ET on Saturday, January 20th.

WHY BET THE WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-70 in favor of the Leathernecks.
• Not only will Western Illinois pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -2.5.
• The over/under is currently sitting at 137.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.

Does Tennessee State Have A Chance at Western Hall?

After a win in their last game, the Tennessee State Tigers are 10-9 overall and 3-3 in Ohio Valley Conference action. They have a two-game win streak and have gone 7-6 in non-conference play.

So far, the Tigers have gone 2-7 on the road, and they have lost their last six games away from home. Over their last 10 road games, they have gone 3-7, and their average scoring margin on the road is -7.2 points per game.

As the underdog this season, Tennessee State has gone 2-5 vs. the spread, and they are 5-10 ATS overall. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Tigers have a record of 3-7. On the road, Tennessee State is just 2-7 ATS this year, and their last 3 road games vs. the spread have all been losses.

Today’s over/under line of 137.5 is lower than the average over/under line in Tennessee State’s games this season (148.3). So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today’s OU line. Over their last five games, the average scoring total is 145 points.

In their latest game, Tennessee State’s offense looked good, scoring 85 points against Tennessee Tech. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 63.3% and made 11/12 free throws. The team’s scoring leader is EJ Bellinger, who holds an average of 12.5 as they head into today’s matchup. Additionally, Christian Brown is averaging 14.6 points per game this season.

On defense, Tennessee State is currently around the NCAA average in points allowed, giving up an average of 71.9 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Tennessee State’s defense has allowed opponents to shoot 40.2% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 26.1% this season.

Can the Leathernecks Lock in a Home Win?

Western Illinois has been on a roll as of late, winning seven straight games to improve to 12-6 overall. They have been especially tough at home, going 3-1 and winning their last two games at home. On the season, they are 4-0 when favored, and they are favored by 2.5 points tonight.

For the season, Western Illinois has a scoring differential of +6.0 points per game at home, compared to -6.8 points per game on the road. So far, they have gone 5-5 on the road, including winning their last five games away from home.

When looking at Western Illinois’ ATS record this season, they are currently 8-6. At home, they have gone 2-2 vs. the spread. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Leathernecks have a mark of 6-4.

On the season, the over/under record in Western Illinois games is 3-11 and today’s line of 137.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this year (140.5). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 128 points and the over/under record in their games this year is 8-10.

In their recent matchup, the Western Illinois offense ended with 63 points against Eastern Illinois. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of 58.5% and made 7 threes. The top scorer for the Leathernecks was Ryan Myers with 14 points, while Jesiah West also chipped in with 12 points.

So far, the Leathernecks’ defense is ranked 47th in the country at 65.8 points per contest. So far, the Western Illinois defense is giving up an average of 6.9 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 13.1 times per game (655th).