BYU Cougars vs Central Arkansas Bears Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Central Arkansas vs BYU NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Provo.

Central Arkansas vs BYU Prediction

Looking to win big? The Bears and Cougars face off at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The Cougars are hosting the game at Marriott Center in Provo, UT. The over/under for this game is set at 148.5 points, and BYU is favored by -29.5 against Central Arkansas in a non-conference matchup.

Central Arkansas vs. BYU Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Central Arkansas Bears at BYU Cougars
Where: Provo at Marriott Center
Date: Tuesday, November 5th
Betting Odds BYU -29.5, CARK +5000 | BYU -100000 O/U 148.5

Bears Preview: Will the Bears Defense Show Up in Provo?

Central Arkansas Bears Records

Central Arkansas finished last season with a 7-23 overall record, going 5-11 in Atlantic Sun play. They were 3-10 at home and 4-13 on the road, with an average scoring margin of -7.5 points at home and -12.0 points on the road.

Against the spread, the Bears were 14-16, including an 11-6 mark in road games. They were 7-22 straight-up as underdogs and went 14-15 ATS in those games. Their average over/under line was 151.7 points, and they had a 14-15-1 O/U record, with their games averaging 150.5 points per contest.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Central Arkansas Bears Offense Stats

Central Arkansas averaged 72.2 points per game last season, ranking 59th in possessions per game with 67. They struggled with shooting efficiency, finishing 356th in field goal percentage (41%) and 329th in effective field goal percentage (48%). The Bears were 382nd in two-point percentage, hitting just 46% of their attempts.

From beyond the arc, Central Arkansas made 8 threes per game, ranking 125th, and attempted 23.3 per game, placing 119th. They shot 34% from deep, ranking 211th. The Bears also made 13.1 free throws per game, ranking 232nd.

Central Arkansas Bears Top Returning Offensive Players

Elias Cato: G-F

Games: 28 (Last Year)
PPG: 11.9 (Last Year)
Assists: 1 (Last Year)
Rebounds: 6.1 (Last Year)

Javion Guy-King: G

Games: 27 (Last Year)
PPG: 7.2 (Last Year)
Assists: 2 (Last Year)
Rebounds: 3.2 (Last Year)

Bears Team Defense

Central Arkansas had a tough time defensively last season, allowing 78.2 points per game, ranking 310th in the nation. Opponents shot 38% from beyond the arc against them, placing the Bears 460th in 3-point percentage defense. They also gave up 19.1 free throws per game, ranking 206th in that category.

On the positive side, Central Arkansas averaged 7 steals per game, ranking 122nd nationally. They also blocked 3.3 shots per game, placing them 192nd in the country.

Cougars Preview: Can BYU Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

BYU Cougars Records

BYU finished last season with a 23-10 record, going 11-9 in their first year in the Big 12. At home, they were dominant, posting an 18-2 record with an average scoring margin of +19.3 points per game. However, they struggled on the road, going 5-8 with a +0.6 margin.

Against the spread, BYU went 20-12, including a 15-5 mark at home. They were 18-7 as the favorite but just 2-5 as the underdog. Their average over/under line was 149.9 points, and they had a 16-17 O/U record, with their games averaging 151.8 points.

Cougars Offense Breakdown

BYU's offense was potent last season, averaging 81.8 points per game. The Cougars ranked 133rd in possessions per game (68.4) and 108th in field goal percentage (46%). Their effective field goal percentage was 55%, placing them 53rd. They were 28th in two-point percentage (58%).

BYU was 2nd in three-pointers made (11.2) and attempted (32.2) per game, shooting 34% from beyond the arc (155th). They struggled at the free-throw line, making 11.8 per game (303rd). Trevin Knell (10.9 PPG) and Richie Saunders (9.8 PPG) are key returning players.

Cougars Team Defense

BYU allowed 69.9 points per game last season, which ranked 105th in the nation. Opponents shot 31.8% from three-point range against the Cougars, placing them 184th in the country. BYU also gave up 18.9 free throws per game, ranking 201st nationally.

In terms of defensive playmaking, BYU averaged 6 steals per game, ranking 257th in the nation. They also averaged 3 blocked shots per game, placing them 248th nationally.

Bears vs Cougars Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Bears offense has averaged 74 points per game while allowing an average of 83. Central Arkansas posted an overall record of 3-7 while going 7-3 ATS.
BYU has a 1-2 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 68 points per game while allowing 72. The team also performed well vs the spread at 2-1.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Bears have a straight up record of 2-8 and an ATS mark of 6-4.
The Cougars have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 3-2 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.