Although the Valparaiso Beacons haven't had a great start, they are still contenders for championship. After their first 12 games, the Beacons are now 6-6 and have just won 67-55 over Eastern Michigan. This was their fifth win in seven games. The team seems to be gaining strength after having lost four of their first five games.
These are the odds of this matchup as compiled by WynnBET Sportsbook.
Spread:
Moneyline:
Total: 142 (Over -110/Under -110)
Ben Wight and Connor Kochera, the sophomores leading the Tribe are Connor Kochera (left) and Ben Wight (right). The pair average 22.7 points per match and 11.1 rebounds each game. The Tribe is ranked 338th among 350 teams for points scored per match. Their assist to turnover rate is 0.696, and they lose games an average of 15.1 ppg. This team has no bright spots, and I believe the Beacons will roll over them.
This game will be won by Valparaiso because of its defense, which while not perfect, is strong enough to stop the Tribe. The Beacons are the leaders in turnovers in the MVC and will not be giving the Tribe many more chances to catch up. The fact that the Tribe won only one game against a new team this year shows they can't be trusted to cover a wide spread like this one. In case you were unsure about how awful this team is, it's worth noting the Tribe is also at 0-10 ATS.