The American Eagles take on the Lafayette Leopards in Easton, PA. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
American is favored by 4.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -198. The total is set at 140.5 points.
Here’s my American vs. Lafayette predictions and college basketball picks for February 22, 2026.
American vs Lafayette Prediction
My Pick: Under 140.5 (Play to 139)
My American vs Lafayette best bet is on the under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
American vs. Lafayette Odds
| American Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -115 | 140.5 -112o / -108u | -198 |
| Lafayette Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -105 | 140.5 -112o / -108u | +164 |
- American vs Lafayette spread: American -4.5
- American vs Lafayette over/under: 140.5 points
- American vs Lafayette moneyline: American -198, Lafayette +164
American vs Lafayette College Basketball Betting Preview
American Basketball
American has rebounded nicely from a five-game conference losing streak by winning back-to-back matchups against Army and Bucknell over the last week.
The Eagles once looked like a team capable of threatening Navy for Patriot League supremacy, but inconsistent play on both ends of the floor saw American on the wrong end of five close games.
The defense has found its groove recently, and if the Eagles want to continue their winning ways, they need to remain successful on that end of the floor.
The offense is led by Madden Collins, who averages 13.6 points per game while shooting 51% from the floor. Greg Jones averages a dozen points, and Julen Iturbe scores 10.3 per contest.
The offense is reliant on hitting outside shots or winning one-on-one battles in the post. American doesn't crash the glass well and is one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the country. The Eagles struggle to get to the line, and I wouldn't expect a ton of activity from the stripe for American in this one.
The Eagles do have the second most effective defense in the Patriot League, and their ability to force turnovers has fueled their two-game win streak. American forces more turnovers than anyone else in the conference, notching 15 in each of its last two wins.
American isn't a great rebounding team, as it's given up some second-chance opportunities in conference play. It'll have a height advantage in this game, which means it should clean up on the glass.
I would also expect American to be able to avoid excessive fouling, something it's struggled with against other teams in the Patriot League.
Lafayette Basketball
Lafayette has had an up-and-down season in the Patriot League, as it's one of the smallest and youngest groups in all of college basketball.
The offense has struggled to get going for much of this season, as Lafayette doesn’t have a strong post presence and its shooters have been inconsistent.
The offense has two primary options in Caleb Williams and Andrew Phillips, who combine to average 31 points per game. Mark Butler and Shareef Jackson average 9.8 points per game apiece, and Christian Humphrey-Rembert scores eight.
Butler and Williams split the point duties and are both decent facilitators. The Leopards have pivoted away from throwing up a ton of 3-point shots in recent games, but if the long balls are dropping, Lafayette can be dangerous at home.
The defense has been surprisingly strong for Lafayette, ranking third in the Patriot League in aggregate defensive efficiency.
The Leopards give up some size in the post and that's been an issue in the paint, but the perimeter defense is decent and they do well to defend without fouling.
The Leopards have to defend better in the painted area to be able to slow down American in this matchup.
American vs. Lafayette Betting Analysis
This line opened American -4.5 with a total set at 139.5. I'm going to be on the under.
Both of these teams have seen a reduction in tempo, and I would expect this game to be played to 65 possessions or so, similar to the first matchup played three weeks ago.
In that first matchup, the American defense did really well, limiting Lafayette to just 27 points in the first half. However, Andrew Phillips buried five 3-point shots and scored 23 points, a season-high, as the Leopards came back in the second half.
I'm not sure we get the hot shooting from him here, as he's made just five of his last 22 from deep.
American has slowed the pace in league play, and it's had back-to-back games of holding its opponent to 63 points or less. The Leopards are going to struggle to find open looks from 3-point range and could struggle with the pressure put on by the Eagles.
American forces more turnovers than anyone else in the Patriot League, but those turnovers don't often lead to fast-break opportunities on the other end.
I expect this to be a slower-paced, defensive-minded game between the second- and third-most-efficient defenses in the Patriot League. The Eagles have won recently because of their defense, and I think that game script plays out similarly in this game.
My Pick: Under 140.5 (Play to 139)
