FIU Golden Panthers vs Utah Tech Trailblazers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Utah Tech vs FIU NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Miami.

Utah Tech vs FIU Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Trailblazers versus the Golden Panthers? Tip off is at at 12:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami, FL. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 147.5 points, with FIU being favored by -5.5 over Utah Tech.

Utah Tech vs. FIU Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Utah Tech Trailblazers at FIU Golden Panthers
Where: Miami at Ocean Bank Convocation Center
Date: Monday, December 30th
Betting Odds FLINT -5.5, DXST +189 | FLINT -236 O/U 147.5

Trailblazers Preview: Can Utah Tech Secure a Road Victory?

Utah Tech improved to 2-10 on the season with a 92-87 win over South Dakota on Thursday. The Trailblazers were +2.5 point underdogs heading into the game but managed to pull off the upset at home.

Utah Tech trailed 42-39 at halftime but turned things around in the second half, scoring 53 points while allowing 45. The game’s total points of 179 exceeded the over/under line of 163.5.

Trailblazers Offense Breakdown

Utah Tech's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 92 points with a 49.2% shooting percentage from the field. They were particularly effective from beyond the arc, hitting 44.8% of their three-point attempts, contributing to an effective field goal percentage of 58.5%. The Trailblazers also dished out 21 assists and grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.

Kaleb Stewart led the way with 26 points, shooting 68.8% from the field and 60.0% from three-point range. Noa Gonsalves connected on 6 of 11 threes, finishing with 22 points, while Beon Riley added 21 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. Chase Forte also contributed 24 points and 6 rebounds in the win.

Trailblazers Team Defense

Utah Tech's defense struggled, giving up 87 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 49% from the field. They allowed 52% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team hitting 19 of 36 shots.

From beyond the arc, Utah Tech's defense gave up 13 threes on 29 attempts, a 44% shooting rate. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 23 times, where they made 15 free throws, shooting 65%. Utah Tech allowed 13 offensive rebounds.

Golden Panthers Preview: Do the Golden Panthers Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

FIU improved to 3-7 on the season with a 75-69 road win over the Jaguars on Saturday, December 21st. Despite being favored by 7.5 points, the Golden Panthers didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game finished just over the O/U line of 143.5, with a combined score of 144.

FIU’s comeback was the story of the game, as they turned a 43-28 halftime deficit into a win by holding the Jaguars to just 26 points in the 2nd half while scoring 47 points of their own.

Golden Panthers Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, FIU's offense put up 75 points, shooting 43.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50.9%, thanks in large part to hitting 53.3% from three-point range (8/15). At the free-throw line, they connected on 77.8% of their attempts, going 21/27.

Jarvis Walker led the way with 24 points and 6 assists, knocking down 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. Dashon Gittens, Paul Zilinskas, and Asim Jones each added 15 points, with Gittens hitting 3 of 4 from deep. FIU grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 13 assists in the win.

Golden Panthers Team Defense

FIU's defense held their opponent to 69 points, with the Golden Panthers allowing 39% shooting from the field (23/58). They were particularly effective inside, limiting their opponent to 38% on two-point attempts (10/26).

On the perimeter, FIU's defense gave up 13 threes on 32 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 15 times, where they hit 10, shooting 66%. FIU allowed 15 offensive rebounds.

Trailblazers vs Golden Panthers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Trailblazers have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 4-5-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 65 points per game in this stretch.
Through their last five home games, FIU has an ATS record of just 2-2. However, their overall record was 3-2 while averaging 69 points per game.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Trailblazers have gone 4-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
In their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Golden Panthers have a straight up record of 7-3 and an ATS mark of 6-4.