Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks vs Vermont Catamounts Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Vermont vs Massachusetts-Lowell NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Lowell.

Vermont vs Massachusetts-Lowell Prediction

Betting on today's Catamounts and River Hawks game? Catch the action at Costello Athletic Center in Lowell, MA, as the River Hawks hosts this showdown at 6:00 ET on ESPN+. The odds for this America East conference game currently have Massachusetts-Lowell as the -4.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 138.5 points.

Vermont vs. Massachusetts-Lowell Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Vermont Catamounts at Massachusetts-Lowell River Hawks
Where: Lowell at Costello Athletic Center
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Betting Odds MASLOW -4.5, VERM +167 | MASLOW -204 O/U 138.5

Catamounts Preview: No Pressure for Vermont as Away Dogs

Vermont improved to 6-8 on the season with a 60-40 win over New Hampshire on Saturday. The Catamounts were -12 favorites heading into the game and covered the spread with the win.

Leading 24-23 at halftime, Vermont's defense stepped up in the 2nd half, allowing just 17 points while scoring 36. The game’s total points of 100 fell well short of the 133.5 O/U line.

Catamounts Offense Breakdown

Vermont's offense managed just 60 points in their last game, shooting 40.7% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 48.1%, with a 40.5% mark on two-point attempts and 41.2% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 of 17 threes.

They connected on 75% of their free throws, going 9 for 12, and grabbed 6 offensive rebounds. TJ Hurley led the way with 17 points, shooting 3 of 5 from three, while Nick Fiorillo added 14 points, hitting 3 of 7 from deep.

Catamounts Team Defense

Vermont's defense was stifling, giving up just 40 points while holding their opponent to 28% shooting from the field. The Catamounts limited them to 27% on two-point attempts, with only 6 makes on 22 tries.

From beyond the arc, Vermont's defense allowed 7 threes on 24 attempts, a 29% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 10 times, where they converted 7 free throws.

River Hawks Preview: Are the River Hawks Ready for a Home Win?

Massachusetts-Lowell improved to 9-4 on the season with a 73-69 win over Albany on Saturday. The River Hawks entered the game as -1.5 favorites and covered the spread with the win. The combined points of 142 fell short of the O/U line of 160.5.

Trailing 37-33 at halftime, the River Hawks turned things around in the second half, outscoring Albany 40-32 to secure the win.

River Hawks Offense Breakdown

In their last game, the River Hawks put up 73 points, shooting 48.2% from the field. They were dominant inside, hitting 67.6% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, going just 4-for-22 (18.2%).

At the free-throw line, they connected on 15 of 17 attempts (88.2%). Byron Joshua led the way with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Max Brooks added 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting, also grabbing 8 boards.

River Hawks Team Defense

Massachusetts-Lowell's defense gave up 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 40% from the field on 30 of 74 attempts. The River Hawks allowed 28 two-point field goals on 56 attempts, a 50% shooting rate.

From beyond the arc, Massachusetts-Lowell held the opponent to just 2 threes on 18 attempts, an 11% shooting performance. The other team also struggled from the free-throw line, making only 7 of 14 attempts, or 50%. The River Hawks allowed 19 offensive rebounds.

Catamounts vs River Hawks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last five road contests, the Catamounts offense has averaged 56 points per game while allowing an average of 63. Vermont posted an overall record of 1-4 while going 1-4 ATS.
When looking at their past five home matchups, Massachusetts-Lowell has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 79 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Vermont has an ATS mark of 2-3 while going 2-3 straight up.
Through their last three games as the favorite, the River Hawks have an ATS record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 3-0.