Bradley Braves vs Missouri State Bears Matchup

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

Missouri State vs Bradley Prediction

Betting on today's Bears and Braves game? Catch the action at Carver Arena in Peoria, IL, as the Braves hosts this showdown at 8:00 ET on CBSS. The over/under for this game is set at 133.5 points, and Bradley is favored by -11.5 vs. Missouri State in a Missouri Valley conference matchup.

Missouri State vs. Bradley Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Missouri State Bears at Bradley Braves
Where: Peoria at Carver Arena
Date: Saturday, January 4th
Betting Odds BRADLY -11.5, MSRST +459 | BRADLY -663 O/U 133.5

Bears Preview: Do the Bears Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Missouri State's season record dropped to 5-7 after a narrow 73-72 loss to Valparaiso on Wednesday. The Bears, who were -5.5 favorites going into the game, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 145, exceeding the O/U line of 139.5.

Missouri State trailed 35-34 at halftime and both teams scored 38 points in the second half, leaving the Bears just short of a comeback.

Bears Offense Breakdown

Missouri State's offense was clicking in their last game, shooting 58% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 66%. They hit 65.6% of their two-point attempts and 44.4% from beyond the arc, though their free-throw shooting was a struggle at just 37.5%.

Vincent Brady II led the way, hitting 8 of 9 shots, while Cooper Schwieger added 22 points. Michael Osei-Bonsu contributed 15 points and 9 rebounds, along with 6 assists, as the Bears dished out 15 assists as a team.

Bears Team Defense

Missouri State's defense struggled in their last game, allowing 73 points on 58% shooting from the field. The Bears couldn't contain their opponent inside, giving up 65% shooting on two-point attempts (21/32).

From beyond the arc, Missouri State's defense allowed 8 threes on 18 attempts, a 44% success rate. Their opponent also grabbed 10 offensive rebounds but shot just 37% from the free-throw line, hitting 6 of 16 attempts.

Braves Preview: Do the Braves Have a Shot at a Home Win?

Bradley Braves Recent Game/Games

Bradley improved to 11-2 on the season after a narrow 90-89 road win over Indiana State on Wednesday. The Braves entered the game as -3.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 179, surpassing the O/U line of 156.5.

After trailing 34-30 at halftime, Bradley’s offense came alive in the 2nd half, scoring 52 points while allowing 48. The Braves’ ability to turn things around after the break was key to their victory.

Braves Offense Breakdown

Bradley put up 90 points in their last game, shooting 50% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4%. They connected on 64.9% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 32.3% from beyond the arc, going 10-for-31 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they were 12-for-15, shooting 80%.

Zek Montgomery led the way with 26 points, shooting 57.9% overall and 42.9% from three-point range. Duke Deen added 24 points, hitting 4-of-11 from deep, and Camp Wagner contributed 20 points, making 5-of-10 from three-point land.

Braves Team Defense

Despite giving up 89 points, Bradley held their opponent to 41% shooting from the field, with 24 made baskets on 58 attempts. They allowed 13 two-point field goals on 20 attempts, a 65% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Bradley's defense saw 38 three-point attempts, with 11 finding the mark for a 28% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 36 times, where they converted 30 free throws, an 83% success rate. Bradley gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Bears vs Braves Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last three road contests, the Bears offense has averaged 63 points per game while allowing an average of 71. Missouri State posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-2 ATS.
Through their last five home games, Bradley has an ATS record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 4-1 while averaging 81 points per game.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Bears have a straight up record of 0-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
Through their previous five contests as the betting favorite, the Braves have a strong record of 5-0. Their record vs the spread in these matchups is 2-2-1.