Central Arkansas Bears vs Eastern Kentucky Colonels Matchup

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

Eastern Kentucky vs Central Arkansas Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Colonels versus the Bears? Tip off is at at 8:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Farris Center in Conway, AR. Eastern Kentucky is favored by -5.5 in this Atlantic Sun conference contest against Central Arkansas. The game's over/under currently sits at 149.5 points.

Eastern Kentucky vs. Central Arkansas Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Eastern Kentucky Colonels at Central Arkansas Bears
Where: Conway at Farris Center
Date: Thursday, January 2nd
Betting Odds EKENT -5.5, EKENT -185 | CARK +154 O/U 149.5

Colonels Preview: Do the Colonels Stand a Chance in Conway?

Eastern Kentucky Colonels Recent Game/Games

Eastern Kentucky fell to 4-7 on the season after a narrow 78-76 loss to Louisville on Saturday. Despite being +21.5 point underdogs, the Colonels kept things close on the road, covering the spread.

After trailing 46-37 at halftime, Eastern Kentucky outscored Louisville 39-32 in the second half. The game’s total points of 154 fell just short of the 157.5 over/under line.

Colonels Offense Breakdown

Eastern Kentucky's offense put up 76 points in their last game, shooting 44.8% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 threes on 25 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 52.2%, and they connected on 85.7% of their free throws, going 6-for-7 from the line.

George Kimble III led the way with 24 points, hitting 4 of 10 from deep, while Devontae Blanton added 22 points. Terrence Edwards Jr. contributed 20 points, making 3 of 6 from three-point range. Chucky Hepburn dished out 7 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds, while J'Vonne Hadley pulled down 10 boards.

Colonels Team Defense

Eastern Kentucky's defense gave up 78 points, but they held their opponent to just 37% shooting from the field, with 24 made baskets on 64 attempts. Inside the arc, their opponent shot 46%, hitting 13 of 28 two-point attempts.

From three-point range, Eastern Kentucky's opponent went 11 for 36, shooting 30%. They also sent them to the free-throw line 24 times, where they converted 19 attempts for 79%. Eastern Kentucky allowed 21 offensive rebounds in the game.

Bears Preview: Will Central Arkansas Pull Through as the Underdog Home Team?

Central Arkansas Bears Recent Game/Games

Central Arkansas fell to 2-9 on the season after an 89-66 loss to Oklahoma on Sunday, December 22nd. The Bears were +26.5 point underdogs going into the game, but they managed to cover the spread.

Central Arkansas trailed 46-39 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 27 points while allowing 43. The total points for the game were 155, surpassing the over/under line of 147.5.

Bears Offense Breakdown

In their last game, Central Arkansas put up 66 points, shooting 37.5% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 43.8%. They struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 28.1% of their threes (9/32), while connecting on 46.9% of their two-point attempts (15/32). At the free-throw line, they were efficient, making 81.8% of their attempts (9/11).

Duke Miles led the way with 29 points, shooting 64.7% overall and 50% from three (4/8). Jeremiah Fears added 19 points and 5 assists, despite shooting just 20% from deep (1/5). Ben Fox was also effective from long range, hitting 4 of 7 threes (57.1%) and finishing with 12 points.

Bears Team Defense

Central Arkansas struggled defensively, giving up 89 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 48% from the field. They had a tough time inside, where they allowed 59% shooting on two-point attempts.

From beyond the arc, Central Arkansas allowed 10 threes on 29 attempts, a 34% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 14 times, where they hit 13 free throws, good for 92%.

Colonels vs Bears Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Colonels have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 5-5 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 72 points per game in these contests.
Central Arkansas has a 0-5 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 66 points per game while allowing 77. The team also performed well vs the spread at 4-1.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Bears have gone 5-0 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
The Colonels have played well in their last three games as the betting favorite, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.