Towson vs. Wake Forest Prediction and Odds for NIT Opening Round (Tigers Keep It Close in High-Scoring Contest)
By Joe Summers
The first round of the NIT continues today as the 25-8 No. 7 Towson Tigers battle the 23-9 No. 2 Wake Forest Demon Deacons at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Towson had won seven in a row and looked poised to roll through the CAA Conference Tournament before a surprise loss to Delaware banished it to the NIT. But the Tigers have been a fantastic spread bet all season, going 21-9-1 and a perfect 7-0 as an underdog.
Wake Forest saw their NCAA Tournament dreams die with a loss to Boston College in the ACC Tournament and lost four of their last seven contests, but the Demon Deacons amassed a 19-12 against the spread (ATS) record and are favored for a reason.
Which team will overcome a bitterly disappointing end to their respective seasons and make a run in the NIT?
Let's check out the odds over at WynnBET to see where the value lies in this NIT Opening Round matchup:
Towson vs. Wake Forest Odds, Spread and Total
Spread
- Towson +8 (-110)
- Wake Forest -8 (-110)
Moneyline:
- Towson: +280
- Wake Forest: -360
Total:
- 148 (Over -110/Under -110)
Towson vs. Wake Forest Prediction and Pick
Honestly, I'm shocked this line is so high. Towson has been a money train all year thanks to its elite offense and it has no business laying eight points against a Wake Forest team that just lost to Clemson and Boston College.
The Demon Deacons are explosive offensively but have been a disaster defensively of late, ranking in the 12th percentile in rating over their last five games and surrendering 76+ points in each of their previous four. Towson's slow pace will help mitigate Wake Forest's transition offense, and the Tigers' 100th-percentile ranking in offensive rebounding means they'll have plenty of second-chance opportunities.
As Wake Forest's defense has faltered, the over has been a great bet. It's 9-2 in the Demon Deacons' previous 11 and has hit in five straight. Both teams have excellent offenses and shoot a lot of free throws, so I expect the over to hit once again.
But I also can't ignore the value on Towson. They've covered the spread every single time they've been an underdog this season and have won four of their last five as an underdog outright. Wake Forest is just 2-4 ATS in their last six as a favorite, including three outright losses.
Give me the Tigers to cover in a high-scoring game and it wouldn't surprise me if they pulled off the upset win. I'll keep riding the Towson money train until the tracks run out.
Pick: Towson +8 (-110) and Over 148 (-110)
Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.
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