The Drake Bulldogs take on the Southern Illinois Salukis in St. Louis, MO in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Tip-off is set for 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Southern Illinois is favored by 5.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -230. The total is set at 137.5 points.
Here’s my Drake vs. Southern Illinois predictions and college basketball picks for March 5, 2026.
Drake vs Southern Illinois Prediction
My Pick: 1H Under 69 (Play to 67)
My Drake vs Southern Illinois best bet is on the first half point total to stay under. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
Drake vs. Southern Illinois Odds
| Drake Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+5.5 -110 | 137.5 -110o / -110u | +190 |
| Southern Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-5.5 -110 | 137.5 -110o / -110u | -230 |
- Drake vs Southern Illinois spread: Southern Illinois -5.5
- Drake vs Southern Illinois over/under: 137.5 points
- Drake vs Southern Illinois moneyline: Drake +190, Southern Illinois -230
Drake vs Southern Illinois College Basketball Betting Preview
Drake Basketball
Drake finished the regular season at 12-19 overall, with a 6-14 mark in conference play in year one under Eric Henderson. This is Drake’s first losing season since 2017.
The Bulldogs have lost nine games in a row after a 6-5 start to league play. Drake checks in at eighth in offensive efficiency and 10th in defensive efficiency in the Missouri Valley, per KenPom.
This group takes a ton of shots from beyond the arc, as it's second in the league in 3-point attempt rate. However, the Bulldogs are hitting at just a 32.3% clip from deep in conference play. The 3-point defense has been brutal for this group, as conference opponents have shot 38.6% from beyond the arc against them.
Loyola Chicago transfer Jalen Quinn carries this team offensively. He’s the only Bulldog who averages north of 10 points per game, as he's all the way up at 19.4 points per game.
Southern Illinois Basketball
Southern Illinois went 16-15 in the regular season under second-year head coach Scott Nagy. The Salukis finished the regular season quite strong, as they were winners of four in a row and six of their last seven games.
Even though the Salukis are the eight seed in this tournament, they're actually the fifth-best team in the Missouri Valley, per KenPom.
A huge reason for that is their elite defense. Not only is this the top-rated defense in the league, the Salukis are 30th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.
The offense has been a different story. This Southern Illinois team really struggles to shoot the ball from long distance, hitting at a 28.4% clip from deep on the season (fourth-worst in the entire country). At least they don’t take them at a high rate, ranking bottom-10 nationally in 3-point attempt rate.
Point guard Quel’Ron House is one of the highest-usage players in the league. House leads the Salukis with 14.7 points per game.
Drake vs. Southern Illinois Betting Analysis
We have an 8/9 game here to kick off Arch Madness, and things could get gritty.
In the first two matchups of the season between these two, we received two close low-scoring games. Both road teams won the regular-season battles, as Drake took the first contest, 76-73, and Southern Illinois snagged the second, 66-61.
With 110% defensive effort on the line, seasons hanging in the balance, a neutral-court battle between two similarly ranked teams, and with the Salukis’ elite defense in play, I’m looking to make a play on the first-half under.
My Pick: 1H Under 69 (Play to 67)
