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The BYU Cougars (17-14, 7-9 WCC) will head into the WCC Tournament against the Portland Pilots (14-18, 5-11 WCC) on Friday at Orleans Arena, tipping off at 9:00 PM.
Friday’s matchup between the Cougars and the Pilots features the Cougars as 6-point favorites. The game’s over/under is 154.5.
BYU vs. Portland Odds
Point Spread for BYU vs. Portland
The spread for this matchup is set at 6 points, with oddsmakers listing BYU as the favorite.
BYU vs. Portland Moneyline
As for the moneyline, BYU has -262 odds to pick up the win, while Portland is listed at +216 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 154.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Friday, March 3, 2023
- Game Time: 9:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: WCC Network
- Location: Paradise, Nevada
- Arena: Orleans Arena
BYU vs. Portland Betting Trends
BYU is 15-13-1 against the spread this year. The Cougars have been favorites in 17 games this season and have come away with the win 12 times (70.6%) in those contests. BYU’s games this year have hit the over on 15 of 30 set point totals.
Portland has played 30 games, with 14 wins, against the spread. The Pilots have put together a 3-12 record in games they were the underdog on the moneyline (winning 20% of those games). Portland’s games this season have gone over the total in 18 of 30 opportunities (60%).
BYU vs. Portland Key Players to Watch
BYU
Fousseyni Traore is tops on the Cougars with 13.2 points per game and 8 rebounds, while also posting 1.5 assists. Gideon George is posting 10.8 points, 1.3 assists and 6 rebounds per contest. Rudi Williams puts up 12.7 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, shooting 47.6% from the field and 32.6% from beyond the arc with 1 made 3-pointers per game. Jaxson Robinson puts up 8.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. Defensively, he puts up 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocked shots.
Portland
Tyler Robertson is the Pilots’ top assist man (5.3 per game), and he contributes 15.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. Moses Wood is putting up team highs in points (15.6 per game) and rebounds (6.3). And he is producing 1.8 assists, making 45.1% of his shots from the field and 40.4% from 3-point range, with 2.6 triples per contest. Kristian Sjolund gives the Pilots 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest. He also puts up 0.4 steals and 0.4 blocked shots. The Pilots receive 8 points, 3 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game from Alden Applewhite.
What you need to know about the BYU Cougars
BYU has covered 10 times in 16 chances against the spread in conference play this season. With 75.6 points per game on offense, the Cougars rank 89th in the nation. At the other end of the court, they surrender 69.9 points per contest, which ranks 176th in college basketball. BYU ranks 65th in the nation with 33.8 rebounds per game this season. Meanwhile, it ranks 26th with 27.9 rebounds allowed per contest.
This year, BYU is making 8.2 three-pointers per game (88th-ranked in college basketball) and is shooting 33.9% (201st-ranked) from beyond the arc. The Cougars are allowing 7.1 three-pointers per game (166th-ranked in college basketball). They are allowing opposing teams to shoot 34.1% (201st-ranked) from beyond the arc.
The Cougars have gone 3-7 over their past 10 contests, with a 6-4 record against the spread in that span. BYU has hit the over in seven of its last 10 outings. BYU’s offense has been better over its last 10 games, scoring 76.3 points per contest compared to the 75.6 it has averaged this season. BYU’s defense has been less stingy as of late, as the team has allowed 74.2 points per game over its last 10 compared to the 69.9 points per game its opponents average on the season.
What you need to know about the Portland Pilots
Portland has put together a 7-10-0 record against the spread in conference games this year. In 2022-23, the Pilots are 42nd in the nation offensively (78 points scored per game) and seventh-worst on defense (78.5 points allowed). With 30.5 rebounds per game and 31.8 rebounds allowed, Portland is 257th and 232nd in the nation, respectively.
In 2022-23 Portland is 16th-best in college basketball in 3-point makes (9.6 per game), and 22nd-best in 3-point percentage (37.8%). The Pilots are the -3-worst squad in the nation in 3-pointers conceded (10.2 per game) and fifth-worst in 3-point percentage defensively (38%).
The Pilots have a 4-6 record against the spread while going 3-7 overall in their past 10 contests. Portland has hit the over in six of its last 10 outings. Portland is putting up 78.7 points per game in its last 10 games, compared to its season average of 78. In their past 10 games, the Pilots are giving up 82 points per contest, 3.5 more points than their season average (78.5).
BYU vs. Portland Prediction & Pick
Our prediction to win this contest is BYU, and we expect that BYU will cover the spread (BYU -6). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 154.5 points.
How to bet BYU vs. Portland
You can bet on BYU vs. Portland at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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