The SE Louisiana Lions take on the East Texas A&M Lions in Commerce, TX. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
East Texas A&M is favored by 1.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -115. The total is set at 133.5 points.
Here’s my SE Louisiana vs. East Texas A&M prediction and college basketball picks for February 16, 2026.
SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M Prediction
My Pick: SE Louisiana ML -105
My SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M best bet is on SE Louisiana to win outright. For all of your college basketball bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NCAAB odds page.
SE Louisiana vs. East Texas A&M Odds
| SE Louisiana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -115 | 133.5 -110o / -110u | -105 |
| E TA&M Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -105 | 133.5 -110o / -110u | -115 |
- SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M spread: East Texas A&M -1.5
- SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M over/under: 133.5 points
- SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M moneyline: SE Louisiana -105, East Texas A&M -115
SE Louisiana vs East Texas A&M College Basketball Betting Preview
SE Louisiana Basketball
SE Louisiana snapped a two-game winning streak on Saturday, falling to Northwestern State in a tight loss. The Lions are 8-18 overall and 5-12 in league play ahead of this day game affair in Texas.
The Lions are all about defense, as they rank 153rd in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Their defense can really up the ante, forcing turnovers at a 19% clip while holding teams to 40% shooting on 2s.
Winning in the controllable margins is SELA’s game.
On the offensive end, the Lions will likely look to feed their bigs, Isaiah Gaines, who leads the team with 10 points per game, and Jeremy Elyzee, another bruising interior option. Using their size, SELA boasts a 40% free-throw rate, a top-75 mark nationally.
The only real sources of scoring for SELA is getting to the foul line or scoring off turnovers. They shoot just 28% from deep and 49% from inside the arc.
The guard play for David Kiefer’s squad is quite dicey. None of the guards average more than 6.5 points per game and none of them are consistent.
Even from a playmaking standpoint, the team leader in assists is Parker Hemschemeier with two dimes. In matchups with suffocating defense, like against McNeese and Stephen F. Austin, that lack of guard play is a real issue.
East Texas A&M Basketball
East Texas A&M is still one of the newer D-I programs. The Lions joined the Southland four seasons ago and don’t have better than a 13-win campaign to show for it. They could get there again this year, but surpassing their Division I record feels unlikely.
So, what’s gone awry in Commerce? This team can’t shoot, but it has the identity of a shooting team. The Lions attempt 3s on 46% of their field goal attempts and hit just 31% from deep.
Big man Ronnie Harrison is the best scorer on the team, collecting 15 points per game while shooting 48% from the field. He could be in for a tough battle against SE Louisiana’s stout interior.
The East Texas A&M guard play will need to hold its weight. Gianni Hunt, a 25-year-old who's at his fifth school, has put together a decent final college season, posting 10 points, four rebounds and four assists. He’s the best guard for head coach Jaret bon Rosenberg.
My larger concern about East Texas A&M is its turnovers. It gives the ball away a 19.8% clip — a bottom-30 mark nationally. If it can’t take care of the basketball, that’ll bail out a fairly unimpressive offensive team.
In all, there’s a boom-or-bust factor here due to shooting. On hot shooting days, East Texas A&M can compete with anyone — not named McNeese and Stephen F. Austin — in the Southland. If the shots don’t fall, it'll be lucky to crack 60.
SE Louisiana vs. East Texas A&M Betting Analysis
So, I’m rolling with SE Louisiana ML.
For one, it’s a day game and it’s East Texas A&M, which means the home-court advantage won’t be much to factor in.
From a pure matchup standpoint, I can’t see East Texas A&M beating SE Louisiana’s bigs. It’s a big luxury to have Gaines and Elyzee at this level, and the Lions can’t hold them down for a full 40.
Odds are, what East Texas A&M does offensively will decide the game. If it gets hot from deep, you just tip your cap. The Lions shoot 31% from deep, if they get you, they get you.
On the flip side, they can’t beat you in any other way, which opens way more possibilities for a SE Louisiana victory.
My Pick: SE Louisiana ML -105
