Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Western Kentucky vs Middle Tennessee NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Murfreesboro.

Western Kentucky vs Middle Tennessee Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Hilltoppers versus the Blue Raiders? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Murphy Athletic Center in Murfreesboro, TN. The over/under for this game is set at 154.5 points, and Middle Tennessee is favored by -3.5 vs. Western Kentucky in a Conference USA conference matchup.

Western Kentucky vs. Middle Tennessee Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Where: Murfreesboro at Murphy Athletic Center
Date: Saturday, January 18th
Betting Odds MTNST -3.5, WKENT +146 | MTNST -176 O/U 154.5

Hilltoppers Preview: Does Western Kentucky Have a Shot at a Road Win?

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Recent Game/Games

Western Kentucky improved to 9-6 on the season with an 85-69 win over Kennesaw State on Saturday. The Hilltoppers were -7.5 point favorites and covered the spread with the victory.

After leading 40-25 at halftime, WKU scored 45 points in the 2nd half while allowing 44. The game’s total points of 154 fell short of the 162.5 O/U line.

Hilltoppers Offense Breakdown

Western Kentucky put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 42.6% from the field. They connected on 42.3% of their threes, hitting 11 of 26 attempts, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 52.5%.

Adrian Wooley led the way with 27 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 53.3% overall and 42.9% from deep. Tyrone Marshall Jr. added 20 points, hitting 50% of his threes, while Enoch Kalambay contributed 19 points and 8 boards, shooting 66.7% from beyond the arc.

Hilltoppers Team Defense

Western Kentucky gave up 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field. They allowed 26 made field goals on 61 attempts.

Defensively, the Hilltoppers allowed 11 three-pointers on 26 attempts, with the opposing team shooting 42% from beyond the arc. They also sent the other team to the line 31 times, where they made 22 free throws, shooting 71%.

Blue Raiders Preview: Can the Blue Raiders Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Recent Game/Games

Middle Tennessee improved to 10-5 on the season with an 81-64 win over Jacksonville State on Saturday, January 11th. Playing at home, the Blue Raiders entered the game as -5.5 favorites and covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game ended just under the 145.5 O/U line.

Middle Tennessee took control early, leading 37-27 at halftime. They continued their strong play in the second half, scoring 44 points while allowing 37.

Blue Raiders Offense Breakdown

Middle Tennessee put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 46.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.2%. They connected on 58.3% of their two-point attempts, but hit just 30.8% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-26 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they made 73.9%, hitting 17 of 23 attempts.

Jestin Porter led the way with 29 points, knocking down 6 threes on 14 attempts. Essam Mostafa and Jaron Pierre Jr. each added 22 points, with Mostafa shooting 83.3% from the field. Middle Tennessee also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and dished out 16 assists in the win.

Blue Raiders Team Defense

Middle Tennessee's defense gave up 64 points while allowing the opponent to shoot 46% from the field, including 58% on two-point attempts. The Blue Raiders' defense also saw the other team make 8 of 26 three-point shots, a 30% success rate.

From the free-throw line, the opposing team went 17/23, hitting 73% of their attempts. Middle Tennessee also gave up 13 offensive rebounds in the game.

Hilltoppers vs Blue Raiders Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their three previous road games, Western Kentucky has an ATS mark of 1-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 1-2 while averaging 67 points per game.
Middle Tennessee has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 71 points per game while allowing 75. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-1-1.
Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Hilltoppers have gone 3-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Blue Raiders have a strong straight up record of 5-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.