Valparaiso Beacons vs Drake Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 1/31/24
The Beacons and Bulldogs are set to face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Bulldogs will host the game at The Knapp Center in Des Moines, IA. The odds for this Missouri Valley conference game currently have Drake as the -20.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 144.5 points.
VALPARAISO BEACONS VS DRAKE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Valparaiso Beacons +20.5
This game will be played at The Knapp Center at 8:00 ET on Wednesday, January 31st.
WHY BET THE VALPARAISO BEACONS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-70 in favor of the Bulldogs.
- Even though we have Drake winning straight-up, we like Valparaiso at +20.5.
- The over/under is currently sitting at 144.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.
No Pressure for Valparaiso as Away Dogs
Valparaiso has struggled on the road this season, going just 1-8 away from home. They have lost two straight games and have gone 1-2 in their last three road games.
Overall, Valparaiso is 6-15 this season, including a 2-8 record in Missouri Valley Conference play. They have been the underdog in 15 of their 21 games this season and have gone just 2-13 in those contests.
Valparaiso has been a solid bet all season, going 12-7-1 against the spread. Their ATS record is even better on the road, where they are 7-1-1. As the underdog, the Beacons have gone 9-5-1 vs. the spread this year. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, Valparaiso has an ATS mark of 7-3.
So far this season, the over/under record for Valparaiso games is 9-11 and today’s line of 144.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games (141.8). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 151 points and their OU record over their last 10 games is 7-3.
The Beacons’ offense finished with 70 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 68 points per contest. Offensively, the Beacons hold a season-long field goal percentage of 40%, placing them 367th in the national rankings. When it comes to three-pointers, they are ranked 265th in terms of percentage and 221st in three-pointers made.
Currently, the Beacons’ defense holds the 175th rank in the nation, allowing 72.3 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 6.9 threes per game vs. Drake. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 36.2%.
Does Drake Have a Shot at a Home Win?
Drake comes into this game as the favorite once again, as they have been in 18 of their 21 games this season. They have a record of 15-3 in those games. The Bulldogs have been dominant at home, going 12-0, and they have won their last 12 games at home.
Drake’s average scoring margin at home this season is +18.6 points per game, and their average scoring margin on the road is +2.6 points per game. They have won their last five games, and they are 17-4 overall.
Drake has been solid against the spread this season with an 11-8 mark. They are 8-4 vs. the spread at home this year and have gone 3-0 ATS in their last three home games. As the favorite, the Bulldogs are 10-8 vs. the spread this year and have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games as the favorite.
Today’s over/under line of 144.5 is similar to the average over/under line in Drake’s games this year (145.1). So far, 11 of their games have finished with more points than today’s line. Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1.
In their most recent game, the Bulldogs’ offense tallied 77 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 79.6 points per game. Leading the team in scoring was Tucker DeVries with 29 points. Conor Enright also added 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Coming into today’s game, the Drake defense is giving up an average of 67.3 points per contest. Against Northern Iowa in their most recent game, the Drake defense gave up a total of 63 points while allowing Northern Iowa to hit 42% of their shots.