The Belmont Bruins take on the UIC Flames in Chicago on Friday, Feb. 6. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Belmont is favored by 3.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -188. UIC, meanwhile, enters as a +3.5 underdog and is +155 underdog on the moneyline. The over/under sits at 150.5 total points.
Here’s my Belmont vs. UIC prediction and college basketball picks for Friday, February 6.
Belmont vs UIC Prediction
My Pick: UIC +3.5 (Play to +1.5)
My Belmont vs UIC best bet is on the Flames to cover the spread. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Belmont vs UIC Odds
| Belmont Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | -188 |
| UIC Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 150.5 -110o / -110u | +155 |
- Belmont vs UIC Spread: Belmont -3.5
- Belmont vs UIC Over/Under: 150.5 points
- Belmont vs UIC Moneyline: Belmont -198, UIC +155
Belmont vs UIC College Basketball Betting Preview
Belmont Basketball
Belmont has been one of the biggest risers from the preseason to now.
The Bruins were ranked 108th in KenPom before the season started but climbed to the top 90 by December. They hovered in the 60s throughout January before entering tonight ranked 59th, their season-high.
So, how has Belmont done it?
The Bruins have one of the best offenses in the country, ranking in the top 10 nationwide in effective field-goal percentage (61.1%, first), 3-point percentage (41.1%, fourth) and 2-point percentage (60.8%, fifth).
They play quickly on offense (29th in average possession length) and share the ball very well (30th in assists per field goals made).
Belmont has used that stellar offense to get to 11-2 in conference play, the best mark in a loaded MVC by two games.
The Bruins defeated second-place Murray State, 103-86, over the weekend to build some extra cushion in the league standings and defeated Drake, 103-90, earlier this week, flexing their offensive prowess again.
However, Belmont does have a few noticeable weaknesses that could impact this matchup. The Bruins' turnover rate is very high (269th), and they don't shoot free throws well at all (336th).
UIC is a team that can exploit both of those weaknesses (more on that in the Flames' section), making this a tough matchup for the usually dominant Bruins.
UIC Basketball
UIC started 5-10 overall and 0-4 in conference play, falling to a season-low 205th on KenPom following a 66-59 loss to Valparaiso on the road in early January.
From that moment onward, the Flames have been a completely different team.
They won eight straight conference games to reach 8-4 in MVC play before losing to Murray State on the road earlier this week to snap that incredible winning streak. However, the Racers have become the clear second-best team in the conference, so that loss was expected.
Still, UIC retains positive momentum from its extended winning streak and also has a narrow loss against Belmont from earlier in the season to learn from.
The Flames lost by just four points when visiting the Bruins earlier this season, despite Belmont shooting 13-for-25 (52%) on 3-pointers.
As a team, UIC perfectly counters Belmont's weaknesses.
First, the Flames are below average when it comes to putting opponents at the free-throw line, but that isn't a terrible thing against Belmont, which will convert those attempts at a relatively pedestrian rate compared to its hyperefficient half-court offense.
The Flames also rank a solid 60th in 3-point percentage defense and a stellar 28th in turnover rate forced.
Shutting down the 3-point line better than most teams can do against the Bruins is a huge advantage, and exploiting the turnover issues for a fast-paced Belmont offense will help out a ton.
Another area the Flames can utilize is offensive rebounding, as UIC ranks 29th in offensive rebounding rate (and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds against Belmont earlier this season), while the Bruins are around average at defensive rebounding.
Belmont vs UIC Betting Analysis
Both of these teams have significant momentum heading into this game, having won 16 of their last 17 games combined. Losing has not been part of their routine recently, making this game a heavily anticipated matchup near the top of the MVC.
These two teams already played a close, high-scoring game earlier this season, with Belmont coming out on top by a score of 87-84. Given how both teams have been playing, this game should be another close one.
That being said, the Bruins have been playing with fire in some tight road conference games recently, and that might come back to burn them against the Flames.
UIC has decent value as an underdog here, especially with how the Flames counter what Belmont does best. I'm backing UIC to bounce back from a narrow road loss by defending its home court.
My Pick: UIC +3.5 (Play to +1.5)
