The Dayton Flyers take on the Saint Louis Billikens in St. Louis, MO. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
Saint Louis is favored by 11.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -800. The total is set at 151.5 points.
Here’s my Dayton vs. Saint Louis prediction and college basketball picks for January 30, 2026.
Dayton vs Saint Louis Prediction
My Pick: Dayton +11.5
My Dayton vs Saint Louis best bet is on the Flyers 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.
Dayton vs. Saint Louis Odds
| Dayton Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11.5 -110 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | +550 |
| Saint Louis Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11.5 -110 | 151.5 -110o / -110u | -800 |
- Dayton vs Saint Louis spread: Saint Louis -11.5
- Dayton vs Saint Louis over/under: 151.5 points
- Dayton vs Saint Louis moneyline: Dayton +550, Saint Louis -800
Dayton vs Saint Louis College Basketball Betting Preview
Dayton Basketball
Dayton has been on the ropes the last 10 days of the season, as the Flyers come into this one losers of three straight games, all in which they were favored. Stunning back-to-back losses in Philadelphia against La Salle and Saint Joe's were cause for concern, and an overtime loss against Rhode Island has the alarm bells going off on full blast.
The Flyers have all but played themselves out of a potential at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and are now in serious jeopardy of having this season completely spiral out of control.
Dayton has battled through injury to significant contributors, including Amael L’Etang, who's returned to the lineup, and Jordan Derkack, who remains out.
Bryce Heard has seen an uptick in minutes, but his offensive effectiveness hasn’t been enough, and the Dayton offense has suffered.
Javon Bennett leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.3 points per game, while De’Shayne Montgomery averages 15 points and four rebounds per contest.
The return of L’Etang gives the Flyers a strong post presence and creates a unique matchup against Saint Louis.
Defensively, the Flyers apply strong amounts of pressure and force a ton of turnovers. The interior post defense has been strong, as Dayton excels at protecting the rim and altering or blocking shots.The Flyers have five players with 10 or more rejected shots this season.
Dayton’s overall defensive efficiency comes in at 45th nationally, and these guys will test an explosive Saint Louis offense.
Saint Louis Basketball
The Billikens have made quite a buzz this season, with a 20-1 record and one of the most efficient offenses and defenses in the country. Already labeled a likely Cinderella team come March, Saint Louis is seeking to prove that this group's talent will allow for a deep NCAA Tournament run.
The offense is electric and fun to watch. Saint Louis has five players who average double figures in scoring, led by Robbie Avila, who averages 13.1. Amari McCottry, Kellen Thames and Dion Brown average 10 points apiece.
The "wow" factor isn’t in any one player’s scoring efforts, but how the unit operates and the effectiveness the Billikens display while sharing the ball. Seven players have at least 30 assists and Aliva has shown a strong passing prowess from anywhere on the court.
These Billikens are going to be a dangerous threat against anyone they play.
The defense has been equally effective, as the Billikens have the No. 1 ranking in KenPom's defensive effective field goal percentage metric. Saint Louis challenges shots from anywhere on the floor and is excellent at defending in the half-court. There isn’t a lot of defensive havoc involved, but the execution is certainly there.
Dayton vs. Saint Louis Betting Analysis
This line opened Saint Louis -11.5 with a total that's been bet up to 151.5. I like Dayton here to remain competitive throughout and cover this number.
The Flyers season is on the brink and this is a desperate ball club right now. Anthony Grant is an excellent coach and I trust his experience in high-pressure situations, which means he'll have his guys ready to go.
Dayton has an excellent interior defense that blocks or alters a ton of shots while remaining in a good defensive position without fouling. The Flyers don't send opponents to the line or give up cheap hoops in the paint. I expect post play to be a challenge for the Billikens.
We should also see some more pressure applied, and Dayton excels in forcing turnovers, ranking fourth nationally. The Billikens don't turn the ball over obscenely, but they're in the middle of the pack in terms of overall turnovers. I'll be interested to see how Saint Louis handles the on-ball pressure in this game.
Dayton is a talented team and in the preseason, this line would've been closer to a pick'em. I like Bennett and L’Etang and what they bring on both ends of the floor for the Flyers.
I think Dayton will defend the post well, and the defense should keep Dayton within striking distance.
We've already seen the pressure mount for Saint Louis due to the successful season it's had and the media hyperbole created as a result.
I think the Billikens win this game, but that it's closer than some think.
My Pick: Dayton +11.5
