Murray State Racers vs UIC Flames Matchup

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

Murray State vs UIC Prediction

Looking to win big? The Racers and Flames face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Flames are hosting the game at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL. In this Missouri Valley matchup, Murray State is favored bt -1 vs. UIC. The over/under for the game is 139 points.

Murray State vs. UIC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Murray State Racers at UIC Flames
Where: Chicago at Credit Union 1 Arena
Date: Wednesday, January 15th
Betting Odds MURST -1, MURST -112 | ILLCHI -108 O/U 139

Racers Preview: Can Murray State Lock in a Road Win?

Murray State Racers Recent Game/Games

Murray State improved to 9-7 on the season with a 58-47 home win over Valparaiso on Saturday, January 11th. The Racers entered the game as -8 favorites and covered the spread with the victory.

Leading 26-21 at halftime, Murray State scored 32 points in the 2nd half while allowing 26. The game’s total points of 105 fell well short of the 144.5 O/U line.

Racers Offense Breakdown

Murray State struggled offensively in their last game, scoring just 58 points with a field goal percentage of 34% (18/53). Their effective field goal percentage was 37.7%, and they hit only 25% from beyond the arc, making 4 of 16 attempts. At the free-throw line, they connected on 18 of 24 attempts, good for 75%.

Nick Ellington led the Racers with 15 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 55.6% from the field. Cooper Schwieger added 12 points and 7 rebounds, while Terence Harcum and Darius DeAveiro each chipped in 11 points. DeAveiro hit 3 of 7 from three-point range, shooting 42.9% from deep.

Racers Team Defense

Murray State's defense was on point, giving up just 47 points on 34% shooting from the field. They held their opponent to 37% on two-point attempts, with a 14/37 shooting performance.

From beyond the arc, Murray State limited their opponent to 4/16 shooting, or 25%. They also sent them to the line 24 times, where they made 18 free throws, shooting 75%. The Racers allowed 11 offensive rebounds.

Flames Preview: Can the Flames Lock in a Home Win?

UIC fell to 8-6 on the season after a narrow 61-60 loss to Bradley on Saturday. The Flames were +3 underdogs going into the game but managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 121, well under the O/U line of 144.5.

UIC was in control early, leading 34-25 at halftime, but they allowed 36 points in the second half while scoring just 26 of their own.

Flames Offense Breakdown

UIC's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 35.5% from the field and 8.7% from beyond the arc, hitting only 2 of 23 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.1%, and they connected on 60.9% of their free throws, going 14 for 23 from the line.

Despite the shooting woes, the Flames grabbed 15 offensive rebounds and dished out 12 assists. Zek Montgomery and Jordan Mason each scored 15 points, with Mason shooting 53.8% from the field. Ahmad Henderson contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Sasa Ciani added 11 points and 11 boards.

Flames Team Defense

UIC Flames put up a strong defensive effort, holding their opponent to just 61 points on 35% shooting from the field. They were particularly effective at defending the three-point line, where they allowed just 2 made threes on 23 attempts, an 8% shooting performance.

Even though their opponent shot 51% on two-point attempts, UIC's defense limited the damage by sending them to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 14 of those attempts (60%). The Flames also gave up 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Racers vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Racers last ten road games, the team averaged 75 points per game while allowing 79. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 6-4, while going 3-7 straight-up.
When looking at their past five home matchups, UIC has an ATS record of 5-0 while averaging 79 per game. The team went 4-1 overall in these games.
As the betting underdog, the Flames have an ATS mark of just 8-2 in their last ten games. UIC posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.
As the betting favorite, the Racers have an ATS mark of just 1-2 in their last three games. Murray State posted a straight up mark of 1-2 in these matchups.