Bellarmine vs Washington Odds, Prediction

On opening night, the Washington Huskies will face a formidable mid-major foe in the Bellarmine Knights.

Recently, Washington has struggled against opponents like Bellarmine, which has a strong coach and an established identity. Can the Huskies reserve course and get things back on track, or is another disappointing game/season in store?

Find Bellarmine vs Washington odds and a pick below, including an NCAAB betting guide.

It was only two seasons ago when Scott Davenport took a D-II transitional team to an ASUN conference title. The experienced coach is a professional winner, and that's a major feather in the cap of the Knights as an underdog.

The Knights' skilled guard trio of Garrett Tipton, Ben Johnson and Peter Suder all put together strong seasons in 2022-23.

Tipton, a senior, is the elder statesman of the bunch, while Johnson and Suder will both aim for breakout seasons. As a freshman, Johnson averaged 11.2 points while shooting 39% from 3. If the Knights are to compete in this one, Johnson will need to score early and often.

A concern to monitor on the Knights' side is the frontcourt. Due to Bellarmine's style of play, it doesn't feature any post-up bigs who can defend and rebound. The team's two biggest players — Langdon Hatton and Curt Hopf — stand 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-8, respectively.

That's concerning against this lengthy Huskies squad. Facing the imposing length of Washington naturally could lead to fouls for the frontcourt pieces, but Hatton and Hopf have to evade foul trouble because the depth simply isn't there.

Moreover, very few teams move the ball better than Bellarmine. It's the objective of the offense to pass the ball around, try to find clean cutting/shooting lanes and limit one-on-one situations. That's a very different outlook than many teams in modern basketball.

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As for Washington's side of the matchup, it must defend the perimeter. That's something it did comfortably last season, as it only allowed opponents to shoot 29% from 3, primarily due to its length.

Washington needs to get on the right track instantly. It made significant improvements this offseason with transfers Sahvir Wheeler (Kentucky), Paul Mulcahy (Rutgers) and wing shooter Moses Wood (Portland).

The only problem with adding both Wheeler and Mulcahy? Both are pass-first players, and neither want to shoot it. In late-game spots, that will likely force Koren Johnson on the ball as a scoring threat instead of Wheeler.

The major advantage for Washington comes in the size and athleticism department — nothing new for early-season high-major/low-major matchups. It'll certainly play a factor, considering Washington will start four players 6-foot-6 or bigger, and star scorer Keion Brooks Jr. loves to shoot over smaller defenders.

Washington's tallest player — Braxton Meah — is another name to watch in this one. The highly athletic 7-footer is more of a lob threat and rim-runner than a post-up player, but if Wheeler and Mulcahy set him up with good passes, he'll score in droves.

(Meah has been dealing with an ankle injury, but is expected to play on Monday.)

For those reasons, Washington should win this one. But what's the best betting play for this opening-night contest in Seattle?

The smart play here is to snag the plucky underdog at a sweet double-digit number.

There's a coaching advantage in favor of Bellarmine. Plus, the Knights' ability to shoot it from deep is good enough to stay within striking distance and not let the overwhelming Washington athleticism deter them.

I think Washington's elite shot-contesting ability from last season is more of an outlier than a reality.

It takes a lot of work to open against an experienced team like Bellarmine, and the Knights should be well prepared.

Pick: Bellarmine +12

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