Southern Illinois Salukis vs UIC Flames Matchup

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

Southern Illinois vs UIC Prediction

Looking to win big? The Salukis and Flames face off at 3:00 ET on ESPN+. The Flames are hosting the game at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 145.5 points, and UIC is favored by -6.5 to win at home against Southern Illinois.

Southern Illinois vs. UIC Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Southern Illinois Salukis at UIC Flames
Where: Chicago at Credit Union 1 Arena
Date: Saturday, January 25th
Betting Odds ILLCHI -6.5, SILL +240 | ILLCHI -300 O/U 145.5

Salukis Preview: Do the Salukis Stand a Chance on the Road?

Southern Illinois Salukis Recent Game/Games

Southern Illinois dropped to 6-12 on the season after a 74-64 home loss to Murray State on Wednesday. The Salukis entered the game as +1.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 34-32 at halftime, Southern Illinois allowed 40 points in the 2nd half while scoring 32. The total points for the game ended at 138, just over the pre-game O/U line of 137.5.

Salukis Offense Breakdown

Southern Illinois struggled from beyond the arc in their last game, hitting just 3 of 20 threes for a 15% shooting percentage. Their overall field goal percentage was 42.6%, with an effective field goal percentage of 44.4%. Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, shooting 58.8% on two-point attempts.

AJ Ferguson led the way with 22 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 66.7% from the field, though he was just 1 of 4 from three-point range. Ali Dibba added 21 points and 6 rebounds, while Kennard Davis Jr. contributed 20 points, despite hitting only 1 of 8 threes. Nick Ellington was perfect from the field, making all 6 of his attempts.

Salukis Team Defense

Southern Illinois gave up 74 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 42% from the field on 23 of 54 attempts. Inside the arc, the Salukis allowed 58% shooting, as the other team went 20 for 34 on two-point shots.

From three-point range, Southern Illinois held the other team to 15% shooting, with just 3 makes on 20 attempts. The Salukis also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 21 times, where they converted 15 of those attempts for 71%. Southern Illinois allowed 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Flames Preview: Do the Flames Have a Shot at a Home Win?

UIC improved to 11-6 on the season with a 78-67 road win over Evansville on Wednesday. The Flames, who entered the game as -5.5 favorites, covered the spread with the victory. The total points for the game ended at 145, just over the pre-game line of 142.5.

UIC took control early, building a 47-32 lead by halftime. While they allowed Evansville to outscore them 35-31 in the second half, the Flames’ strong first half was enough to secure the win.

Flames Offense Breakdown

UIC's offense put up 78 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 59.3%. They connected on 65.2% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 35.5% from beyond the arc, making 11 threes in the game.

Jordan Mason led the way with 19 points and 5 assists, while Tayshawn Comer added 18 points and 8 assists. Ahmad Henderson II contributed 16 points in just 22 minutes, shooting 66.7% overall and 60.0% from three-point range.

Flames Team Defense

Even with UIC's defense giving up 67 points, they managed to limit their opponent's three-point shooting to just 4/20, a 20% success rate. However, UIC struggled to contain two-point attempts, allowing 24/41 shooting, which is 58%.

At the free-throw line, UIC's opponent shot 7/13, hitting 53% of their attempts. UIC also gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.

Salukis vs Flames Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their last three road contests, Southern Illinois has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 71 points per game.
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.
Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Salukis have a straight up record of 2-8. But, their mark vs the spread was just 3-6-1.
In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Flames have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 3-0 in these scenarios.