Drake Bulldogs vs UIC Flames Matchup

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

Drake vs UIC Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Bulldogs versus the Flames? Tip off is at at 3:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL. Drake come into this Missouri Valley conference matchup as the -6.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 131.5 points.

Drake vs. UIC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Drake Bulldogs at UIC Flames
Where: Chicago at Credit Union 1 Arena
Date: Wednesday, January 1st
Betting Odds DRAKE -6.5, DRAKE -277 | ILLCHI +220 O/U 131.5

Bulldogs Preview: Can the Bulldogs Offense Score Enough in Chicago?

Drake improved to 10-0 on the season with a 65-46 win over Belmont on Sunday. The Bulldogs, who were -8.5 favorites, covered the spread in this one. The total points for the game were 111, well under the O/U line of 140.5.

Drake took control early, leading 39-21 at halftime. In the second half, they scored 26 points while holding Belmont to 25, maintaining their defensive intensity throughout the game.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Drake put up 65 points in their last game, shooting 47.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.9%. They connected on 56.2% of their two-point attempts, while hitting just 31.6% from beyond the arc, going 6-for-19 from three-point range.

At the free-throw line, the Bulldogs shot 73.3%, making 11 of 15 attempts. They grabbed 9 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists. Bennett Stirtz led the way with 20 points and 4 assists, despite missing all 3 of his three-point attempts. Daniel Abreu added 15 points, hitting 3 of 9 from deep, and Sam Orme contributed 11 points, shooting 66.7% overall.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Despite giving up 46 points, the Drake Bulldogs allowed their opponents to shoot 47% from the field, with 24 made baskets on 51 attempts. Inside the arc, the Bulldogs' defense gave up 18 two-point field goals on 32 attempts, a 56% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Drake's opponents shot 31%, hitting 6 of their 19 three-point attempts. The Bulldogs also sent their opponents to the free-throw line 15 times, where they converted 11 free throws, shooting 73%. On the boards, Drake allowed 9 offensive rebounds.

Flames Preview: Will the Flames Exceed Expectations at Home?

The Flames improved to 6-4 on the season with a 73-67 win over Illinois State on Sunday. UIC, who entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.

After trailing 35-33 at halftime, UIC turned things around in the 2nd half, outscoring the Redbirds 40-32. The total points for the game ended at 140, just under the O/U line of 142.5.

Flames Offense Breakdown

UIC's offense put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 46.2% from the field. They were especially effective from beyond the arc, hitting 47.1% of their threes, contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 53.8%.

At the free-throw line, the Flames connected on 77.3% of their attempts, going 17-for-22. Malachi Poindexter led the team with 20 points, while Sasa Ciani added 16 points and 9 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field.

Flames Team Defense

UIC's defense held their opponent to 67 points, with a field goal percentage of 39% on 23 of 58 shooting. They allowed 17 two-point baskets on 32 attempts, giving up 53% shooting from inside the arc.

From three-point range, UIC's defense limited their opponent to 6 of 26 shooting, just 23% from deep. They also sent them to the free-throw line 21 times, where they made 15, for 71%. UIC gave up 9 offensive rebounds in the game.

Bulldogs vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last five road contests, Drake has been good against the spread posting a mark of 3-2. Their overall mark in these games was 4-1, while averaging 71 points per game.
When looking at their past ten home matchups, UIC has an ATS record of 6-3-1 while averaging 71 per game. The team went 5-5 overall in these games.
In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Flames have a straight up record of 6-4 and an ATS mark of 7-3.
Over the team's last five games as the favorite, the Bulldogs struggled vs the spread going just 1-3-1. However, they still had a straight up mark of 5-0.