Betsided

Cincinnati vs. East Carolina Prediction and Odds (Back the Points in this AAC Matinee)

By Ben Heisler

East Carolina Pirates guard Tristen Newton hopes to get his team back on track after suffering three losses in a row.
East Carolina Pirates guard Tristen Newton hopes to get his team back on track after suffering three losses in a row. / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

The Cincinnati Bearcats look to bounce back from their road loss to Temple on Tuesday when they travel to Greenville to face the East Carolina Pirates at Minges Coliseum.

The Pirates have lost three straight conference games but have been impressive at home, going 10-1 straight up.

How do the oddsmakers see today's early afternoon American Athletic Conference battle going down?

Here are the latest odds from WynnBET Sportsbook.

Cincinnati vs. East Carolina Odds, Spread and Total

Spread:

  • Cincinnati -5.5 (-110)
  • East Carolina +5.5 (-110)

Moneyline:

  • Cincinnati -240
  • East Carolina +190

Total:

  • 139 (OVER -105 | UNDER -115)

Cincinnati vs. East Carolina Prediction and Pick

I'm following the money in this game and grabbing the over.

After opening at 136.5 at most books, the total has soared up 2.5 points to 139, hinting that we may see a much faster paced game than anticipated.

The Bearcats are the number one team in the country in defensive effective field goal percentage at 42%. Meanwhile, East Carolina's adjusted defensive efficiency ranks dead last in the AAC at 11th, and just under 200th in college basketball (197).

Conversely, East Carolina under new head coach Wes Miller hasn't begun to click on both sides of the ball. After putting up 85 points against UCF three games ago in an overtime loss at home, they've scored only 36 and 54 points vs. Houston and Memphis in their last two games on the road.

But, home cooking seems to play an important factor. The Pirates have been a far more confident team at home, having scored no less than 62 points in their building this year. Meanwhile, the Bearcats are just 2-3 on the road this season.

Ultimately, I project East Carolina to hang with Cincinnati but the 5.5 still feels a bit iffy to me. Go with the money and play the over as we see a more competitive matchup in Greenville than most would anticipate.

LEAN: OVER 139 (-105)

Follow all of Ben Heisler's betting picks in real-time HERE!

Home/College Basketball Predictions and Picks