East Carolina Pirates vs South Florida Bulls Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our South Florida vs East Carolina NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Greenville.

South Florida vs East Carolina Prediction

The Bulls and Pirates are set to face off at 1:00 ET on ESPN+. The Pirates will host the game at Minges Coliseum in Greenville, NC. The over/under for this game is set at 143 points, and East Carolina is favored by -5.5 vs. South Florida in a American Athletic conference matchup.

South Florida vs. East Carolina Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: South Florida Bulls at East Carolina Pirates
Where: Greenville at Minges Coliseum
Date: Saturday, January 25th
Betting Odds ECAR -5.5, SFL +184 | ECAR -225 O/U 143

Bulls Preview: Do the Bulls Have What it Takes on the Road?

South Florida Bulls Recent Game/Games

South Florida fell to 9-9 on the season after a 69-61 road loss to Charlotte on Wednesday. The Bulls were -2 favorites going into the game but failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 130, which was under the 144.5 O/U line.

After trailing 37-36 at halftime, South Florida managed only 25 points in the 2nd half while allowing 32 points to Charlotte.

Bulls Offense Breakdown

South Florida struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 35.6% from the field and 18.5% from three-point range, hitting only 5 of 27 attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.7%, and they managed 8 assists as a team.

Nik Graves led the Bulls with 19 points and 8 rebounds, while Kylan Blackmon added 15 points, hitting 3 of 7 from beyond the arc. Jayden Reid also connected on 3 of 7 from deep, finishing with 14 points.

Bulls Team Defense

South Florida's defense gave up 69 points, allowing their opponent to shoot 42% from the field. The Bulls struggled to contain two-point shots, with the opposing team hitting 53% of their attempts, going 14/26.

From beyond the arc, South Florida held their opponent to 28% shooting, as they made just 6 of 21 three-point attempts. The Bulls also sent the other team to the line 30 times, where they converted 23 free throws for a 76% success rate.

Pirates Preview: Can East Carolina Pull Off a Home Win?

East Carolina Pirates Recent Game/Games

East Carolina evened their record at 9-9 after an 85-76 win over Tulsa on Tuesday. The Pirates were -5 favorites going into the game and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended up at 161, surpassing the over/under line of 141.5.

ECU was trailing 40-33 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, outscoring Tulsa 36-29 to secure the win.

Pirates Offense Breakdown

East Carolina put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 49.1% from the field and 40.7% from beyond the arc, knocking down 11 threes. Their effective field goal percentage stood at 59.6%, and they connected on 85.7% of their free throws, hitting 18 of 21 attempts.

Jordan Riley led the way with 27 points, shooting 64.3% overall and 66.7% from three. RJ Felton added 24 points, hitting 4 of 9 from deep, while Dwon Odom contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, despite missing all 3 of his three-point attempts.

Pirates Team Defense

East Carolina's defense gave up 76 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 42% from the field. Inside the arc, they allowed 51% shooting, as the other team went 20/39 on two-point attempts.

From three-point range, East Carolina held their opponents to 29% shooting, with 7 made threes on 24 attempts. The Pirates also sent the other team to the free-throw line 20 times, where they converted 15 free throws for 75%.

Bulls vs Pirates Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last five road games, South Florida has averaged 72 points per game while allowing 75. The team's record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
Across their last five home contests, East Carolina has a 4-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 2-3, while averaging 73 points per game.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Bulls have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-1.
Against the spread, the Pirates have put together of 2-3 in their last five games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 3-2 straight up.