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Missouri vs Utah State Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds and Picks
Tigers, Aggies Coming Off Strong Conference Tournaments
Missouri in Underdog Role
The Missouri Tigers were on a five-game winning streak toward the end of their regular season before dropping their final game to Alabama on Saturday. They had a nice run in the SEC Tournament, taking out Tennessee before falling to Alabama, the top overall see in the NCAA Tournament
Meanwhile, if you’ve been following the college basketball news, the Utah State Aggies won seven straight games before losing their last game against San Diego State on Saturday.
They, too, lost to the eventual tournament champion. So which of these two teams can rebound and cover the college basketball odds here?
Missouri Continues to Impress
The Tigers weren’t expected to be a great team at the beginning of the season mostly because they had a brand-new head coach in Dennis Gates. However, they’ve consistently impressed throughout the season and are No. 23 in the AP Top 25 poll.
If you saw the college basketball news headlines last week, the Tigers earned a double-bye in the SEC Tournament for the first time in their school history. That goes to show their progress.
Kobe Brown is their biggest name at the moment, averaging 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He’s also a menace on defense as he racks up 1.5 steals a contest.
The concern for college basketball lines here is that this team went 18-0 outside of Quad 1 opponents. The Tigers won games that they were supposed to win when they were favored. However, they clearly struggled against better teams.
It’s somewhat telling here that they’re not even favored in the sportsbook against a lower seed.
Aggies Offense Should Lead The Way
Utah State is powered by an offense that’s averaging 79.1 points per game, which is the 28th in the nation. They also shoot 48 percent from the field as a team, the 23rd-best.
Of course, Steven Ashworth significantly helps them in this area. He’s putting up 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. According to KenPom.com, this is the 13th-best offense right now.
That should work well against a Missouri team that’s not looking so hot defensively. Before you place your sports bets, note that the Tigers gave up 74.6 points per game this season. That’s 175th, according to KenPom.com. Utah State should have no problems scoring in this one.
Missouri vs Utah State Game Injuries
Missouri vs Utah State Head-to-Head
These two teams have yet to meet up with one another this season.
Missouri vs Utah State Game Information
- Game: Missouri (24-9) vs Utah State (26-8)
- Location: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
- Day/Time: Thursday, March 16th, 1:40 p.m. ET
- Missouri vs Utah State Live Stream: TBS.com
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Missouri vs Utah State Betting Lines
Missouri vs Utah State Picks and Prediction
This is going to be an unbelievably tight matchup between these two teams. Both teams are incredibly scrappy and fight up until the final buzzer.
It looks like Utah State is probably the better choice on the side for your NCAA basketball odds. However, over looks like a solid play here too. Missouri’s defense is weak and that should pave the way for a high-scoring affair with at least one team getting to 80 points.
Utah State is listed at -125 in our Vegas lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Aggies, there’s a chance to win $80. Missouri is +105 with a chance to win $105 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Aggies a 55.56% chance to win, with the Tigers at 48.78%.
