High Point vs. Cleveland State Prediction, Odds and Key Players for CBI Quarterfinal (Take the Under)

There is still March Madness at the beginning of a new week as the College Basketball Invitational rolls on in Daytona Beach, Florida. Top-seeded High Point has its opener Monday afternoon against No. 9 Cleveland State. 

High Point won the regular season Big South title but was upset in overtime against Longwood on March 9 in the conference tournament. Can they cover as short favorites against Cleveland State? The Vikings were able to grind out a 51-49 win in the first round of the CBI over Northern Colorado. They’ll try to advance as small underdogs in Monday’s matinee at Ocean Center.

Here’s the betting breakdown of the matchup with a best bet. 

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High Point vs. Cleveland State Odds, Spread and Total

High Point vs. Cleveland State Betting Trends

• High Point is 18-11-2 ATS this season
• Cleveland State is 16-16-2 ATS this season
• High Point is 12-11 ATS as a favorite this season
• Cleveland State is 10-5 ATS as an underdog this season
• The OVER is 18-13 in High Point games this season
• The OVER is 17-16-1 in Cleveland State games this season 

High Point vs. Cleveland State How to Watch

• Date: Monday, March 25 
• Game time: 12 p.m. EST
• Venue: Ocean Center
• How to watch (TV): FloHoops
• High Point record: 25-8
• Cleveland State record: 21-14

High Point vs. Cleveland State Key Players to Watch

High Point

Duke Miles: A Troy transfer, Miles is High Point’s leading scorer this season at 17.7 points per game while shooting nearly 54% from the field. Miles can light it up from the perimeter, netting multiple 3-pointers in three consecutive games. He combined for 35 points on 14-of-27 shooting with seven assists in two Big South Tournament games. 

Cleveland State 

Tristan Enaruna: In a defensive slugfest in the first round of the CBI, the senior forward was huge on both sides of the ball to help Cleveland State advance. Enaruna turned in a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double on 8-of-16 shooting. He is averaging 19.9 points per game this season and shooting 49.9% from the field. 

High Point vs. Cleveland State Prediction and Pick 

Cleveland State has been great as an underdog this season (10-5 ATS) and they get a High Point squad that hasn’t played in over two weeks since its overtime loss in the Big South Tournament semifinals. 

High Point is a great shooting team, ranking No. 83 in effective field goal percentage, but could run into problems with its style of play. The Panthers are much better from inside the arc (No. 54 in 2-point shooting) but nearly 40% of their field goal attempts are from downtown. High Point is No. 194 in 3-point shooting and Cleveland State is top-10 in KenPom in defending the perimeter. 

On the other end, though, Cleveland State’s offense has been abysmal this season, ranking No. 237 in effective field goal percentage with below-average shooting metrics across the board. The Vikings are a top-50 offensive rebounding team in the nation but High Point cleans up on the glass, ranking No. 50 in the nation in defensive rebounding. 

Cleveland State’s offense has struggled all season and High Point’s two-week layoff is cause for concern from a scoring standpoint. Take the under in this matchup. 

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Game odds update periodically and are subject to change.