Valparaiso Beacons vs Western Michigan Broncos Matchup

Read on to get betting odds and analysis in our Valparaiso vs Western Michigan NCAA Basketball prediction and preview and see who we think will win and cover the spread in Kalamazoo.

Valparaiso vs Western Michigan Prediction

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Beacons and Broncos. The game is starting at 1:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Broncos at University Arena (MI) in Kalamazoo, MI. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 151.5 points, with Western Michigan being favored by -1.5 over Valparaiso.

Valparaiso vs. Western Michigan Matchup At A Glance

Sport: NCAAB
Teams: Valparaiso Beacons at Western Michigan Broncos
Where: Kalamazoo at University Arena (MI)
Date: Friday, December 20th
Betting Odds WMICH -1.5, VALP +109 | WMICH -132 O/U 151.5

Beacons Preview: Do the Beacons Have a Shot at a Win at Kalamazoo?

Valparaiso Beacons Recent Game/Games

Valparaiso’s season record dropped to 4-5 after a 95-73 road loss to Ohio State on Tuesday. Entering the game as +21 point underdogs, the Beacons not only lost but also failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 41-30 at halftime, Valparaiso allowed 54 points in the 2nd half while scoring 43. The game’s total points of 168 exceeded the O/U line of 149.5.

Beacons Offense Breakdown

Valparaiso's offense struggled from the field in their last game, shooting just 35.8% overall and 20.8% from three-point range. They managed only 5 assists as a team, but were strong at the free-throw line, hitting 20 of 23 attempts for an 87% success rate.

Devin Royal led the way with 31 points and 15 rebounds, shooting 68.8% from the field. All Wright added 22 points and 3 assists, while Cooper Schwieger contributed 16 points and 8 rebounds, hitting 66.7% of his threes.

Beacons Team Defense

Valparaiso's defense struggled in their last outing, giving up 95 points on 54% shooting from the field. The Beacons allowed their opponents to connect on 64% of their two-point attempts, with 27 makes on 42 tries.

From beyond the arc, Valparaiso held their opponents to 31% shooting, as they hit 6 of 19 three-point attempts. However, the Beacons sent them to the line 27 times, where they converted 23 free throws for 85%.

Broncos Preview: Will the Broncos Win at Home?

Western Michigan’s season continued to spiral with a 98-62 loss to North Dakota State on Sunday, dropping their record to 2-7. The Broncos, who entered the game as +8.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread.

After trailing 49-28 at halftime, Western Michigan allowed another 49 points in the second half while scoring 34. The total points for the game reached 160, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 144.

Broncos Offense Breakdown

Western Michigan struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.7% from the field and finishing with an effective field goal percentage of 41.9%. They hit 5 of 13 from beyond the arc, shooting 38.5% from three-point range, and connected on 9 of 13 free throws (69.2%).

Chansey Willis Jr. led the Broncos with 22 points and 5 assists, shooting 50% from the field and from three-point range (2/4). Jacari White added 19 points, hitting 4 of 6 from deep and finishing with 5 assists as well.

Broncos Team Defense

Western Michigan's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 98 points on 69% shooting from the field. They allowed the opposing team to hit 83% of their two-point attempts, going 20/24.

From beyond the arc, Western Michigan gave up 18 threes on 31 attempts, a 58% shooting performance. They sent the other team to the line 9 times, where they made 4 free throws.

Beacons vs Broncos Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Through their last ten road contests, the Beacons offense has averaged 66 points per game while allowing an average of 84. Valparaiso posted an overall record of 0-10 while going 5-5 ATS.
When looking at their past three home matchups, Western Michigan has an ATS record of 2-1 while averaging 67 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Beacons have a straight up record of 1-9. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-5.
Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Broncos have a straight up record of 4-6. But, their mark vs the spread was just 4-6.