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The Liberty Flames (25-7, 15-3 ASUN) will be attempting to extend a 16-game home winning run when taking on the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (20-12, 12-6 ASUN) on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at Liberty Arena. It airs at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+.
Liberty is a substantial 12.5-point favorite against Eastern Kentucky when the Flames square off against the Colonels on Thursday. The over/under is 143 points for the matchup.
Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky Odds
Point Spread for Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky
The spread for this matchup is set at 12.5 points, with bookmakers listing Liberty as the favorite.
Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Liberty has -909 odds to pick up the win, while Eastern Kentucky is listed at +595 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 143 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Thursday, March 2, 2023
- Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Location: Lynchburg, Virginia
- Arena: Liberty Arena
Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky Betting Trends
Liberty has 18 wins against the spread in 30 games this year. The Flames have been chosen as favorites in 26 games this year and have walked away with the win 22 times (84.6%) in those games. Liberty’s games this year have hit the over 48.3% of the time (14 out of 29 games with a set point total).
Eastern Kentucky has played 29 games, with 18 wins, against the spread. The Colonels have won six of the 13 games they were the underdog on the moneyline this season (46.2%). Eastern Kentucky’s games this season have gone over the total in 10 of 29 opportunities (34.5%).
Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky Key Players to Watch
Liberty
Darius McGhee averages 22.5 points and 2.9 assists per game — both team highs. He is also putting up 3.2 rebounds, shooting 44.9% from the floor and 41.2% from downtown with 4.6 made 3-pointers per contest (second in college basketball). Kyle Rode posts 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, shooting 45.4% from the floor and 37.2% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per contest. Colin Porter paces the Flames at 3.8 assists per game, while also averaging 2.3 rebounds and 7.3 points. Blake Preston paces his team in rebounds per game (5.3), and also posts 6.9 points and 1.4 assists. Defensively, he delivers 0.5 steals and 0.5 blocked shots.
Eastern Kentucky
Devontae Blanton is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. And he is producing 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists, making 44.9% of his shots from the field and 36.6% from 3-point range, with 1.1 triples per game. Michael Moreno is posting 11.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contest, making 44.9% of his shots from the field and 39.6% from beyond the arc, with 2.6 triples per game. Isaiah Cozart is posting a team-leading 7.2 rebounds per contest. And he is contributing 9 points and 0.3 assists, making 63.1% of his shots from the field. Cooper Robb is averaging 7.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, making 35.4% of his shots from the field and 31.4% from beyond the arc, with 1.5 treys per game.
What you need to know about the Liberty Flames
In Liberty’s 19 ASUN games this season, the combined scoring has gone over the point total eight times. The Flames sport a top-25 defense this season, ranking ninth-best in college basketball with 60.1 points allowed per game. Offensively, they rank 102nd with 75.3 points scored per contest. Liberty is grabbing 30.7 rebounds per game this year (250th-ranked in college basketball), and it has given up just 26.7 rebounds per game (ninth-best).
Offensively, the Flames have fared better in home games this season, posting 79.7 points per game, compared to 71.6 per game when playing on the road. Liberty is thriving in terms of three-point shooting, as it ranks fifth-best in college basketball in three-pointers (10.6 per game) and 19th-best in shooting percentage from beyond the arc (37.8%). The Flames are 97th in the nation with 6.6 treys allowed per game this season. Meanwhile, they rank 240th with a 34.7% shooting percentage allowed from downtown.
The Flames have gone 8-2 in their last 10 contests, with a 5-5 record against the spread in that span. Seven of Liberty’s past 10 games have hit the over. In its last 10 games, Liberty has been racking up 76.7 points per contest, an average that’s slightly higher than the 75.3 it has scored over the course of the 2022-23 season. Liberty’s points-allowed average over its last 10 games (64.8) is 4.7 more points per game than the team is allowing over the entire season (60.1).
What you need to know about the Eastern Kentucky Colonels
Eastern Kentucky has won 13 games against the spread this year in conference action, while failing to cover six times. The Colonels are 48th in college basketball in points scored (77.5 per game) and 239th in points allowed (71.9). On the boards, Eastern Kentucky is sixth-best in college basketball in rebounds (37 per game). It is 329th in rebounds allowed (33.9 per game).
The Colonels are scoring more points at home (86.6 per game) than away (68.4). Eastern Kentucky makes 8.6 3-pointers per game and shoots 33.7% from beyond the arc, ranking 56th and 215th, respectively, in college basketball. Giving up 8 3-pointers per game and conceding 32.9% from beyond the arc, the Colonels are 271st and 120th in the country, respectively, in those categories.
The Colonels have a 7-3 record against the spread while finishing 7-3 overall in their last 10 games. Three of Eastern Kentucky’s past 10 contests have hit the over. Eastern Kentucky has performed worse offensively in its last 10 games, posting 73.6 points per contest, 3.9 fewer points its than season average of 77.5. In their past 10 games, the Colonels are surrendering 70 points per game, compared to their season average of 71.9 points allowed.
Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this game is Liberty, and we expect that Liberty will cover the spread (Liberty -12.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going under the posted total of 143 points.
How to bet Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky
You can bet on Liberty vs. Eastern Kentucky 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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