Fresno State vs Costal Carolina Prediction and Odds (Bulldogs' Defense Will Carry Them To Victory)

The Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the Basketball Classic's championship game on Thursday, March 31st, at 7:00 PM EST.

Fresno State is coming off a 19-point win over Southern Utah but have covered the spread just once in their last five games while Coastal Carolina has covered in each of their three tournament matchups.

Can the Bulldogs emerge victorious in the final round or will the Chanticleers stay hot as an underdog?

Here are the odds from WynnBET Sportsbook as we look for value in this Basketball Classic Championship round:

Fresno State vs Coastal Carolina Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Fresno State -3 (-110)
• Coastal Carolina +3 (-110)

Moneyline:

• Fresno State: -160
• Coastal Carolina: +130

Total:

• 127 (Over -110/Under -110)

Fresno State vs Coastal Carolina Prediction and Pick

Both teams rely on strong defenses and play at a snail's pace. Fresno State has KenPom's 32nd-ranked defense in the country while Coastal Carolina has the 24th-lowest opponent effective field goal percentage. They're both middling at best on offense, so this will be a matchup of similarly-built teams.

But the Chanticleers have been much better of late, going 6-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last seven while the Bulldogs are 4-9 ATS in their last 13. Fresno State started the year on a torrid pace, going 9-0-1 ATS in their first 10 matchups as a favorite, but they're just 2-6 ATS in their last eight when favored.

Coastal Carolina ranks in the 100th percentile in defensive rating over their last five games and are 8-4 ATS in their last dozen as an underdog.

Even still, I'm inclined to side with the Bulldogs. They've played a much more difficult schedule than the Chanticleers and are 18-2 outright in their last 20 games. In most of their matchups as a favorite, the spread has been double-digits. So they've been beating teams but not blowing them out, thus the poor ATS record of late.

I think Fresno State will lock in defensively and have more experience against good teams. They have a rebounding edge and will take advantage of a Coastal Carolina offense that has the 306th-highest turnover rate in the nation. The Bulldogs rank in the 96th percentile in steal percentage over their last five games and that will be the difference.

Pick: Fresno State -3 (-110)

Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.