Tennessee State Tigers vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Tennessee State vs Western Kentucky NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Bowling Green.

Tennessee State vs Western Kentucky Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Tigers versus the Hilltoppers? Tip off is at at 8:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at E. A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, KY. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 159.5 points, with Western Kentucky being favored by -16 over Tennessee State.

Tennessee State vs. Western Kentucky Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Tennessee State Tigers at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Where: Bowling Green at E. A. Diddle Arena
Date: Tuesday, December 10th
Betting Odds WKENT -16, TENST +714 | WKENT -1317 O/U 159.5

Tigers Preview: Can the Tigers Pull Off a Win at Bowling Green?

The Tigers fell to 1-6 on the season after a 92-74 home loss to UNC Asheville on Sunday. Tennessee State entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 41-37 at halftime, the Tigers allowed 51 points in the 2nd half while scoring 37. The game’s total points of 166 exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 152.5.

Tigers Offense Breakdown

Tennessee State's offense put up 74 points in their latest game, shooting 45.5% from the field. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3 of 17 attempts for a 17.6% rate, resulting in an effective field goal percentage of 48.5%. At the free-throw line, they connected on 57.9% of their shots, going 11 for 19.

Inside the arc, the Tigers were more efficient, shooting 55.1% on two-point attempts, with an 18 offensive rebounds. Jordan Marsh led the way with 23 points and 5 assists, while Antoine Lorick III added 19 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 75% from the field. Josh Banks and Fletcher Abee each hit 3 threes, with Abee shooting 60% from deep.

Tigers Team Defense

Despite Tennessee State's defensive struggles, they managed to hold their opponent to just 3 made threes on 17 attempts, a 17% shooting performance from beyond the arc. However, they couldn't contain the inside game, allowing 27 two-point field goals on 49 attempts, resulting in a 55% shooting percentage.

The Tigers also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 11 of those attempts, shooting 57% from the stripe. Tennessee State gave up 18 offensive rebounds in the game.

Hilltoppers Preview: Pressure Builds for Western Kentucky as Home Favorites

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Recent Game/Games

Western Kentucky moved to 4-3 on the season with a 79-65 win over Evansville on Saturday. The Hilltoppers, who were favored by 5.5 points, covered the spread in the victory.

After trailing 33-32 at halftime, Western Kentucky turned things around in the second half, outscoring Evansville 47-32. The game’s total points of 144 fell short of the 152.5 O/U line.

Hilltoppers Offense Breakdown

Western Kentucky put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 44.3% from the field and 41.7% from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 24 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 52.5%, and they were strong from the free-throw line, hitting 15 of 18 for an 83.3% success rate.

Gabriel Pozzato, Cam Haffner, and Babacar Faye each contributed 19 points, with Faye hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts and grabbing 12 rebounds. Don McHenry added 17 points, while Julius Thedford chipped in 16 points in just 23 minutes of action.

Hilltoppers Team Defense

Western Kentucky's defense held their opponent to 65 points, with a strong showing from the field, allowing just 36% shooting on 22 of 61 attempts. They were particularly effective in defending the three-point line, where they limited their opponent to 9 made threes on 31 attempts, a 29% success rate.

Inside the arc, the Hilltoppers gave up 13 two-point baskets on 30 attempts, a 43% shooting percentage. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 16 times, where they converted 12 of those attempts, shooting 75%. Western Kentucky allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Tigers vs Hilltoppers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, Tennessee State has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 73 per game. The team went 0-5 overall in these games.
Across their last three home contests, Western Kentucky has a 3-0 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 73 points per game.
Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Tennessee State has an ATS mark of 3-7 while going 0-10 straight up.
Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Western Kentucky has an ATS mark of 5-3-2 while going 7-3 straight up.