Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles vs Western Illinois Leathernecks Matchup

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

Tennessee Tech vs Western Illinois Prediction

Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Golden Eagles versus the Leathernecks? Tip off is at at 8:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Western Hall in Macomb, IL. The odds for this Ohio Valley conference game currently have Western Illinois as the -1.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 138 points.

Tennessee Tech vs. Western Illinois Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Western Illinois Leathernecks
Where: Macomb at Western Hall
Date: Tuesday, December 17th
Betting Odds WILL -1.5, TENTCH +110 | WILL -135 O/U 138

Golden Eagles Preview: Can the Golden Eagles Offense Score Enough in Macomb?

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Recent Game

Tennessee Tech fell to 3-6 on the season after a 78-73 road loss to West Georgia on Saturday. The Golden Eagles, who were favored by 3 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 151 exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 140.5.

Tech trailed 49-32 at halftime but tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 29 points while scoring 41. Despite the strong finish, they couldn’t complete the comeback.

Golden Eagles Offense Breakdown

Tennessee Tech put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.8%. They connected on 60.7% of their two-point attempts, while hitting 33.3% from beyond the arc, going 8-for-24 from three-point range. At the free-throw line, they shot 75%, making 15 of 20 attempts.

The Golden Eagles dished out 17 assists, with Shelton Williams-Dryden contributing 6 assists and 19 points. Rodney Johnson Jr. added 17 points, shooting 70% from the field. Kyle Layton was efficient from three, hitting 3 of 4 attempts, finishing with 11 points on 80% shooting overall.

Golden Eagles Team Defense

Even with Tennessee Tech giving up 78 points, they couldn’t capitalize on their defensive efforts. The Golden Eagles allowed their opponents to shoot 50% from the field, including 57% on two-point attempts, as they went 29/58 overall.

From beyond the arc, Tennessee Tech’s defense gave up 7 threes on 20 attempts, a 35% shooting clip. They also sent their opponents to the line 16 times, where they converted 13 free throws, shooting 81%. The Golden Eagles allowed just 5 offensive rebounds in the game.

Leathernecks Preview: Will Western Illinois Find a Way to Win at Home?

Western Illinois Leathernecks Recent Game/Games

Western Illinois dropped to 3-5 on the season after an 89-66 road loss to South Dakota on Saturday. The Leathernecks entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 155 went over the pre-game O/U line of 152.5.

Western Illinois found themselves in a deep hole early, trailing 53-31 at halftime. They were unable to mount a comeback in the second half, scoring 35 points while allowing 36.

Leathernecks Offense Breakdown

Western Illinois struggled with their shooting in their last game, hitting just 38.2% from the field and 32.7% on two-point attempts. However, they found success from beyond the arc, connecting on 52.6% of their three-point shots, with Marko Maletic hitting 6 of 8 from deep.

Maletic finished with 24 points, while Chase Forte added 21 points and 5 assists. The Leathernecks managed just 8 assists as a team, but grabbed 14 offensive rebounds in the game.

Leathernecks Team Defense

Western Illinois struggled defensively, giving up 89 points on 51% shooting from the field. They allowed 23 two-point baskets on 41 attempts, a 56% success rate for their opponent.

From beyond the arc, Western Illinois gave up 6 threes on 15 attempts, with their opponent shooting 40%. They also sent the other team to the line 36 times, where they made 25 free throws. Western Illinois allowed 15 offensive rebounds.

Golden Eagles vs Leathernecks Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across the Golden Eagles last three road games, the team averaged 62 points per game while allowing 82. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 0-3, while going 0-3 straight-up.
When looking at their past three home matchups, Western Illinois has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 62 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Golden Eagles have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Leathernecks have a good straight up record, but their ATS mark is just 1-4.