Belmont Bruins vs Illinois State Redbirds Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Illinois State vs Belmont NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Nashville.

Illinois State vs Belmont Prediction

The Redbirds and Bruins are set to face off at 7:00 ET on Gray. The Bruins will host the game at Curb Event Center in Nashville, TN. The over/under for this game is set at 149.5 points, and Belmont is favored by -6 vs. Illinois State in a Missouri Valley conference matchup.

Illinois State vs. Belmont Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Illinois State Redbirds at Belmont Bruins
Where: Nashville at Curb Event Center
Date: Wednesday, December 4th
Betting Odds BELM -6, ILLST +209 | BELM -289 O/U 149.5

Redbirds Preview: Is a Road Win Possible for the Redbirds?

Illinois State's record dropped to 3-3 after a 72-64 loss to George Washington on Monday. The Redbirds were +2.5 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread.

Illinois State led 29-27 at halftime but struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 45 points. They scored 35 points themselves after the break. The game’s total points of 136 fell short of the 147.5 O/U line.

Redbirds Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Illinois State put up 64 points, shooting 43.8% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 4 of 18 attempts for a 22.2% three-point percentage. However, they were efficient inside, connecting on 56.7% of their two-point shots.

The Redbirds were strong at the free-throw line, making 18 of 21 attempts for 85.7%. They grabbed only 4 offensive rebounds and dished out 6 assists. Trey Autry led the way, hitting 5 of 7 shots, including 3 of 6 from deep, and finishing with 16 points and 5 rebounds.

Redbirds Team Defense

Despite Illinois State's defensive efforts, they gave up 72 points in their last game. The opposing team shot 38% from the field, hitting 19 of their 50 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Illinois State allowed 10 threes on 28 attempts, a 35% success rate. The opposing team also capitalized on free throws, going 24/30 for 80%.

Bruins Preview: Can the Bruins Secure a Win at Home?

Belmont improved to 5-2 on the season with an 83-74 home win over Gardner-Webb on Friday. The Bruins entered the game as 8-point favorites and covered the spread, while the total points of 157 went over the pre-game line of 152.5.

Belmont trailed 44-37 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Gardner-Webb 46-30 to secure the win.

Bruins Offense Breakdown

Belmont put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 44.6% from the field. They were strong inside, hitting 65.8% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from deep, making just 22.2% of their threes (8/36). Their effective field goal percentage was 50%.

Darryl Simmons II led the way with 23 points, shooting 3/8 from three. Anthony Selden added 19 points, and Tyler Lundblade hit 4 threes, finishing with 15 points. Belmont had 21 assists, with Carter Whitt contributing 4, and they grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.

Bruins Team Defense

Belmont's defense gave up 74 points in their last game, with their opponents shooting 44% from the field on 33 of 74 attempts. The Bruins struggled to contain two-point shots, allowing their opponents to hit 25 of 38 for a 65% success rate.

From beyond the arc, Belmont's defense held their opponents to 8 of 36 shooting, just 22%. At the free-throw line, their opponents made 14 of 18 attempts, shooting 77%. Belmont also gave up 12 offensive rebounds.

Redbirds vs Bruins Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Illinois State has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
Although Belmont has a straight up record of 5-5 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 5-5. The team averaged 76 points per game in these games.
Illinois State has done well both straight up and vs the spread as the underdog, going 3-2 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five games.
The last ten games that Belmont was favored, they have an ATS mark of 7-3 while going 7-3 straight up.