Morehead State vs Murray State Betting Preview
SportsMemo handicapper JM Sports gives his Morehead State vs Murray State prediction in the Ohio Valley Conference. At the time of posting, the Racers have opened as a 3-point road favorite over the home Eagles, with the total sitting at 133.5 points.
Check out our College Basketball Free Picks page for betting thoughts from some of the country’s top handicappers.
Saturday, February 12 | Ohio Valley Conference Betting Notes |
---|---|
Point Spread: | Morehead State Eagles +3 vs Murray State Racers |
Total: | 133.5 Points |
Game Time: | 4:00pm ET / 1:00pm PT |
Arena: | Ellis T. Johnson Arena in Morehead, KY |
TV: | ESPN+ |
Morehead State vs Murray State Analysis
The Ohio Valley Conference may not always be the first conference you look at for an exciting game, but his Murray State vs. Morehead State match-up has plenty of capability of potentially being a very exciting game.
The nationally ranked Murray State take (#23 in the recent AP poll) but the 2nd longest avtive winning streak in the nation on the line as they travel to Morehead State.
These two teams sit in the top 3 of the conference and have combined for just 2 conference losses all season.
Murray state took the win on January 29th, betting Morehead State 77-66 and handing them one of their two conference losses, but that is nothing new, Murray State holds the head-to-head advantage 37-11 in the match-ups dating back to 1997.
Racing to the Top of the OVC
Murray State has found their way in to the top-25 in the country, but they still have their eyes set on a conference title for the time being and this could help extend the cushion in the standings.
Murray State is undefeated against conference foes so far this year, winning all 13 games, with the help of an offense that has put up over 78 PPG and a defense that has allowed 60.4 PPG to the opponents on just 40.6% shooting in conference play.
They are also 8-1 on the road this season, where they have allowed under 64 PPG and winning by almost double digit points on average. Not only have they played well on the road and against conference opponents, but they have been one of the most consistent teams all year, they have won 23 of their 25 games overall, including 13 straight winners!
It doesn’t seem to matter who this team plays, Murray State is #11 in the country in PPG, #33 in the country in PPG allowed and #18 in FG%, making a difference on both sides of the ball.
Not to mention they are doing all the little things right now, they are #28 in rebounds per game, #54 in steals per game and they are #61 in TO’s lost per game, winning the game in a multitude of aspects.
While they haven’t played the most difficult schedule this year, they haven’t let up, they are #16 in the country defending the three ball, which is Morehead’s strength on the offensive side, and Murray State can score on the best, putting up 79 PPG and a 6-1 record against teams that rank in the top-150 in terms of defensive efficiency this season.
There is something about this conference that gets Murray State going, they don’t like losing to the rivals and they have yet to do it this year, but dating back to 1997, they are 45-14 on the money line after back-to-back wins by 10 or more points against conference rivals.
Eagles Undefeated at Home
Morehead State is a serious competitor in this conference as well this season, posting an 11-2 record against conference foes and sitting at #3 in the conference standings.
They are 19-7 on the year, but more impressively, they are undefeated on their home court this year. While Morehead State has had their difficulties, their defense has played well this year, and the strength of their offense has come from beyond the arc.
They rank in the top-100 in defensive efficiency (#83), which has helped them allow just 63.4 PPG (#40 in the nation), yet the offense falls below the #200 ranking and the difficulty of their schedule (or lack there of) has put this offense against a limited number of defensive threats.
Morehead State is just 2-7 against teams that rank in the top-200 in KenPom’s overall rankings, and just 1-6 against teams in the top-160.
When you break it down, they are just 1-7 against top-100 offenses, where they have allowed over 74 PPG, with the only win coming against Belmont, and they are 0-5 against top-100 defenses, where their offense has only been able to put up 60 PPG on average against that caliber defense.
Morehead State actually takes the advantage when you are looking at the trends of their play, even if they don’t look like a big threat to pull out the win against a top-25 team, they are 18-5 on the money line against teams who attempt 21 or more threes in a game in the last two seasons.
They are also 11-4 against teams that are shooting 45% or better in the last two years, 8-1 revenging a road loss and 16-1 after allowing 60 points or less in the previous two seasons.
They are also 17-1 on the money line at home in the last two seasons and 15-2 with just one day of rest (or no rest), yet they can’t seem to get the answer to take down Murray State as they are 11-22 on the money line head-to-head dating back to the ‘97 season.
Morehead State vs Murray State Prediction
The 9-0 record at home, takes on the undefeated record in the last 13 games, time will tell what streak will fall. Johni Broome looks to continue his defensive domination, as he sits at #11 in the nation in block percentage, but this is a top-caliber team that Morehead State is set to take on.
They have to have some confidence coming into this game on their home court, but their experiences against the best teams this year has failed to prove that they can perform under pressure.
I am going to ride the 13 game win streak, both teams have hovered right around the line when it comes to the point differential in their games, neither team dominating against the spread. Yet, the way Murray State has played this year, I expect a close game, but I am going to take Murray State on the money line.
Prediction: Murray State Money Line
Interested in placing a bet on the Morehead State vs Murray State contest? DraftKings is offering a $1,000 Deposit Bonus for first-time bettors in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan, Virginia, Wyoming and Arizona.
18-5 ATS 78% winning bets Last 23 Super Bowls
5% MAX Bet Locked-In for Super Bowl 56 w/10 prop bets included
Monster College Hoops and NBA set for Saturday@sportsmemo @WagerTalk | https://t.co/x19ItxhDJR pic.twitter.com/a0u4Kwj0ci— John Ryan (@JohnRyanSports1) February 12, 2022
Morehead State vs Murray State Preview from GoldSheet
College Basketball Stat Sheet
GoldSheet prepares a daily college basketball stat sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Saturday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Morehead State vs Murray State contest.
NCAAB Odds Screen
Sportsmemo’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the college basketball point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Saturday’s NCAAB games, including this Morehead State vs Murray State showdown, from your desktop or phone.
**************************************************
Looking for more free sports picks and sports betting tips?
- Latest Betting Odds and Public Action: Live odds updated in real time, including who the public is betting on.
- Last Minute Handicapping Advice: Check out our extensive library of handicapping tips to help you become a better sports bettor. Wee also recommend browsing through our sports betting tips video library.
- Want an expert opinion? Check out the latest Free Sports Picks and Best Bets from our team of expert sports handicappers.
Make sure to bookmark all the above!