Abilene Christian Wildcats vs Utah Valley Wolverines Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Abilene Christian vs Utah Valley NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Orem.

Abilene Christian vs Utah Valley Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Wildcats and Wolverines. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Wolverines at UCCU Center in Orem, UT. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this Western Athletic conference game currently have Utah Valley as the -8.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 138.5 points.

Abilene Christian vs. Utah Valley Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Abilene Christian Wildcats at Utah Valley Wolverines
Where: Orem at UCCU Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds UTAHV -8.5, ABCHR +285 | UTAHV -370 O/U 138.5

Wildcats Preview: Can the Wildcats Offense Score Enough on the Road?

Abilene Christian's season record fell to 5-7 after a 62-57 home loss to Stephen F. Austin on Tuesday. The Wildcats, who entered the game as -3.5 favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

Trailing 29-25 at halftime, Abilene Christian couldn't turn things around in the second half, being outscored 33-32. The game’s total points of 119 fell under the O/U line of 134.5.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Abilene Christian struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 57 points with a 37.3% field goal percentage. They were 0-for-11 from beyond the arc, and their free-throw shooting was only 55.9%.

Leonardo Bettiol was a bright spot, hitting 10 of 14 shots for 27 points. Chrishawn Christmas added 24 points and 14 rebounds, connecting on 2 of 5 three-point attempts.

Wildcats Team Defense

Abilene Christian's defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 62 points on 37% shooting from the field. They allowed 19 made field goals on 51 attempts.

From beyond the arc, Abilene Christian's defense was perfect, as they didn't allow a single three-pointer, with their opponent going 0/11. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 34 times, where they made 19 free throws, shooting 55%.

Wolverines Preview: Do the Wolverines Stand a Chance at Home?

Utah Valley evened their record at 6-6 with a 64-62 road win over Weber State on Saturday. Entering the game as +2 point underdogs, the Wolverines not only pulled off the win but also covered the spread.

Utah Valley led 38-35 at halftime and held on by outscoring Weber State 26-27 in the 2nd half. The game’s total points of 126 fell short of the 140.5 O/U line.

Wolverines Offense Breakdown

Utah Valley put up 64 points in their last game, shooting 46.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.1%. They connected on 35.3% of their threes, hitting 6 of 17 attempts, and went 17 for 32 on two-point shots, good for 53.1%. At the free-throw line, they struggled, converting just 54.5% of their attempts (12/22).

Carter Welling led the way with 22 points, shooting 72.7% from the field and 66.7% from three (4/6). Nigel Burris added 17 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 60% of his threes (3/5). The Wolverines grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists in the game.

Wolverines Team Defense

Utah Valley's defense held their opponent to 62 points, despite allowing them to shoot 45% from the field. The Wolverines gave up 57% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team connecting on 19 of 33 shots.

From beyond the arc, Utah Valley limited their opponent to just 5 made threes on 20 attempts, a 25% success rate. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 15 times, where they made 9, shooting 60%. The Wolverines allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Wildcats vs Wolverines Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five games away from home, the Wildcats have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 65 points per game in these contests.
Through their last five home contests, the Wolverines offense has averaged 64 points per game while allowing an average of 68. Utah Valley posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 2-3 ATS.
The last three games that Abilene Christian was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
Through their last three games as the favorite, the Wolverines have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.