Belmont Bruins vs UIC Flames Matchup

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

UIC vs Belmont Prediction

Betting on today's Flames and Bruins game? Catch the action at Curb Event Center in Nashville, TN, as the Bruins hosts this showdown at 5:00 ET on ESPN+. This Missouri Valley conference matchup has an over/under of 157.5 points, and Belmont is favored to win by -6.5 at home vs. UIC.

UIC vs. Belmont Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: UIC Flames at Belmont Bruins
Where: Nashville at Curb Event Center
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds BELM -6.5, ILLCHI +197 | BELM -250 O/U 157.5

Flames Preview: Will the Flames Pull Through as the Away Underdog?

UIC improved to 7-4 on the season with a 74-70 win over Drake on Wednesday. The Flames not only picked up the victory at home but also covered the spread as +6.5 underdogs.

UIC trailed 33-32 at halftime but turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring Drake 42-37. The total points for the game reached 144, surpassing the O/U line of 129.5.

Flames Offense Breakdown

UIC's offense was on fire in their last game, shooting 57.4% from the field and hitting 47.1% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 66%, with 19 of their 30 two-point attempts finding the mark (63.3%).

Bennett Stirtz led the way with 30 points and 12 assists, while Jordan Mason added 17 points, hitting 7 of 9 shots and going 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. Tyem Freeman also contributed, knocking down 5 of 7 threes.

Flames Team Defense

UIC's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 70 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 57% from the field. This included 63% shooting on two-point attempts, as the Flames allowed 19 baskets on 30 tries inside the arc.

From three-point range, UIC's opponent hit 8 of 17 shots, good for 47%. The Flames also sent them to the free-throw line 17 times, where they converted 12 attempts, shooting 70%.

Bruins Preview: Will the Bruins Win at Curb Event Center?

Belmont dropped to 8-5 on the season after a 76-70 road loss to Northern Iowa on Wednesday. The Bruins entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The combined points of 146 fell short of the O/U line of 153.5.

Belmont trailed 39-34 at halftime and couldn’t close the gap in the second half, scoring 36 points while allowing 37.

Bruins Offense Breakdown

Belmont scored 70 points in their last game, shooting 38.7% from the field and 30% from three-point range, hitting 12 of 40 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.4%, and they struggled at the free-throw line, making just 58.8% of their shots.

Jonathan Pierre led the way with 19 points and 11 rebounds, connecting on 5 threes at a 41.7% rate. Carter Whitt contributed 17 points and 8 assists, while Leon Bond III added 15 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 63.6% from the field.

Bruins Team Defense

Despite Belmont's defensive efforts, they allowed 76 points on 45% shooting from the field, with the opposing team hitting 29 of their 64 attempts. The Bruins struggled to contain shots inside the arc, where the other team connected on 56% of their two-point attempts, going 26/46.

Belmont did manage to limit damage from beyond the arc, holding the opposition to just 3/18 shooting from three-point range, a 16% success rate. The Bruins also sent the other team to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 15 of those attempts, shooting 65%. Belmont gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Flames vs Bruins Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

UIC has played well in their previous three road games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 76 points per game while allowing 68. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-0.
In their last five home games, Belmont has averaged 73 points per game while allowing 75. The team's record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Flames have gone 7-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 6-4.
Although the Bruins have a strong straight up record in their last three games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the spread going 1-1-1.