Samford Bulldogs vs VMI Keydets Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our VMI vs Samford NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Homewood.

VMI vs Samford Prediction

Looking to win big? The Keydets and Bulldogs face off at 8:00 ET on None. The Bulldogs are hosting the game at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL. The over/under for this Southern conference contest is set at 158.5 points, with Samford being favored by -18.5 at home against VMI.

VMI vs. Samford Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: VMI Keydets at Samford Bulldogs
Where: Homewood at Pete Hanna Center
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Betting Odds SAMF -18.5, VAMIL +1200 | SAMF -3268 O/U 158.5

Keydets Preview: Do the Keydets Have a Shot at a Road Win?

VMI's season record fell to 2-9 after a 70-67 loss to Mercer on Saturday. Despite being +6 point underdogs, the Keydets kept it close at home, covering the spread. The total points for the game were 137, falling short of the 156.5 O/U line.

VMI trailed 34-26 at halftime but made a push in the 2nd half, outscoring Mercer 41-36. Though they couldn’t complete the comeback, their strong 2nd half performance was a positive takeaway.

Keydets Offense Breakdown

VMI's offense put up 67 points in their last game, shooting 40% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, hitting 9 of 27 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.3%, and they connected on 70% of their free throws, going 14 for 20 from the line.

Rickey Bradley Jr. and Jah Nze led the way, each hitting 5 threes, with Nze shooting 62.5% from deep and Bradley hitting 45.5%. Bradley finished with 30 points, while Nze added 25 in just 22 minutes. AJ Clark contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Ahmad Robinson chipped in 11 points and 5 assists.

Keydets Team Defense

VMI's defense held their opponent to 70 points on 40% shooting from the field, as they went 22/55 overall. Inside the arc, they allowed 13/28 shooting, which is 46%.

From three-point range, VMI gave up 9/27 shooting, or 33%. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 20 times, where they made 14, shooting 70%. VMI limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 4.

Bulldogs Preview: Is It the Bulldogs Game to Lose at Home?

Samford Bulldogs Recent Game/Games

Samford improved to 10-3 on the season with an 88-69 road win over Western Carolina on Saturday. The Bulldogs, who entered the game as 12-point favorites, covered the spread with the victory.

Samford led 44-34 at halftime and matched that output in the second half, allowing 35 points after the break. The game’s total points of 157 fell just short of the 159.5 over/under line.

Bulldogs Offense Breakdown

Samford put up 88 points in their last game, shooting 52.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 62.3%. They connected on 64.3% of their two-point attempts and 40% from three-point range, while hitting 81.5% of their free throws.

Jaden Brownell led the way with 23 points in just 18 minutes, shooting 72.7% from the field and 60% from beyond the arc. Bernard Pelote added 22 points, hitting 69.2% of his shots and 57.1% from three.

Bulldogs Team Defense

Samford's defense gave up 69 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 39% from the field on 24 of 61 attempts. Inside the arc, they held the other team to 39% shooting, with just 13 made two-point shots out of 33 attempts.

From three-point range, Samford allowed 11 threes on 28 attempts, also at a 39% clip. The opposing team went to the free-throw line 14 times, making 10 for 71%. Samford gave up 15 offensive rebounds in the game.

Keydets vs Bulldogs Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

When looking at their past five road matchups, VMI has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 67 per game. The team went 0-5 overall in these games.
Through their last three home games, Samford has an ATS record of just 1-2. However, their overall record was 2-1 while averaging 83 points per game.
Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Keydets have a strong record vs the spread going 4-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 0-5.
Samford has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.