College Basketball Odds & Picks for Rhode Island vs. Davidson: How to Bet A-10 Clash

Rhode Island vs. Davidson Odds

Sunday, Jan. 9

2 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Rhode Island Odds
Spread	Total	Moneyline
+7.5 -105	134.5 -115o / -105u	+245

Davidson Odds
Spread	Total	Moneyline
-7.5 -115	135.5 -115o / -105u	-320

Odds via PointsBet. Get up-to-the-minute college basketball odds here.

Davidson opened the season at 1-2, with losses to San Francisco and New Mexico State. Since then, the Wildcats have ripped off 10 wins in a row, including a one-point victory over Alabama.

The group owns the top 3-point shooting offense in the country through the first two months of the season, and hopes to continue to stay hot as it enters Atlantic 10 play.

Rhode Island is 9-3 since moving on from Fatts Russell in the offseason. The Rams haven’t had many difficult games this season, as they rank 148th in strength of schedule. They have faced only one opponent that ranks inside the top 100, which was Providence (a 14-point loss).

Whichever defense will be able to slow down the opposing offense will have a clear edge in this matchup.

Rhode Island Rams

Through the first nine games of the season, it appeared that losing Russell in the offseason may not have been the worst thing for Rhode Island offense. After all, Russell shot 23% from 3-point range and 34% on all his field goal attempts last year.

Through the first dozen games this season, the offense has been efficient hitting 55% of its shots, which ranks 21st in the country. The group has improved its outside shooting — hitting 37% from beyond the arc — and has gone to the free-throw line at a top-10 rate.

But once again, the issue with the offense has been taking care of the basketball. The Rams have turned the ball over on 22% of their offensive possessions, which is 312th in the country.

The Rams own a well-balanced offensive scoring attack, with seven players who are scoring seven or more points per game.

Makhi and Makhel Mitchell are a pair of 6-foot-10 twins who are averaging a combined 20 points and 12 rebounds per game. Makhel has been elite at defending the paint and has blocked 34 shots in his dozen games this season.

The Mitchell twins are the reason the Rams rank fourth in the nation in 2-point field goal defense. But Davidson will add some additional challenges, as it is able to stretch the floor with its outside shooting threats.

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Davidson Wildcats

Davidson has followed a similar trend that we’ve seen in recent years — elite shooting and mediocre defense.

The Wildcats own the 20th-best offensive efficiency ranking in the country and are putting up 77 points per game.

They’re led by a trio of outside snipers in Hyunjung Lee, Foster Loyer and Michael Jones. The three have scored 57% of the Wildcats' points this season, averaging 46 a game among them. They have led Davidson to the top 3-point shooting group in the country, hitting 43% as a team.

Though the offense plays at one of the slowest tempos in the country, it executes with precision. The Wildcats rarely turn the basketball over, ranking 19th in turnover percentage. They convert on 58% of their field goal attempts and have scored 70 or more points in each game during their winning streak.

Bob McKillop’s group isn’t as elite on the defensive end of the floor, where the Wildcats rank 121st in efficiency. Davidson allows its opponents to hit 50% of their 2-point attempts (185th) and 34% from behind the arc (218th). The Wildcats rarely force turnovers and put little stress on their opponents.

Rhode Island vs. Davidson Betting Pick

Both Rhode Island and Davidson are averaging over 70 points per game this season but have taken different paths to get there.

Davidson takes 40% of its shot attempts from behind the arc and converts at a rate higher than any team in the country. The Wildcats sacrifice on defense to spread the floor offensively, and that will pay dividends against the bigs of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island will rely on its size with the Mitchell Twins to dominate the paint. The Rams will own a huge size advantage down low and will continue to utilize their depth to continue their efficient offensive play.

Even though these teams don’t play at a particularly fast pace, both offenses will own a solid edge over the opposing defense, which is why I’m looking at the over in this matchup.

Pick: Over 135.5 (Play to 137.5)