Belmont vs Austin Peay Betting Preview Feb 7
Belmont vs Austin Peay Predictions and Odds
The home team has covered the spread in 12 of the last 14 Belmont vs Austin Peay meetings. Will that trend continue in Nashville on Monday night? At the time of posting, the Bruins have opened as a 19.5-point home favorite over the visiting Governors, with the total sitting at 143.5 points.
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| Monday, February 7 | Ohio Valley Basketball Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Belmont Bruins -19.5 vs Austin Peay Governors |
| Total: | 143.5 Points |
| Game Time: | 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT |
| Arena: | Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
Belmont vs Austin Peay Analysis
The Austin Peay Governors (7-13, 3-7 OVC) are in Nashville on Monday night for a contest against one of the league’s top teams in the Belmont Bruins (18-5, 9-2 OVC). On Saturday, Ben Sheppard scored 41 points for the Bruins in Belmont’s 100-92 overtime victory over the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Meanwhile, Austin Peay was on the wrong side of a 77-52 knockout by the Morehead State Eagles.
With the Saturday win over Tennessee Tech, Belmont joined Gonzaga and Kansas as the only programs in America to win 19 or more games 17 consecutive seasons. The Mountain West Conference San Diego State Aztecs can join this group. The Aztecs are 13-6, with nine regular-season games remaining.
The Bruins are 8-1 in home games, while The Governors own a 4-9 mark in the role of visitors this season. Belmont is 9-2 in league play and is currently 2.5 games out of first behind the Murray State Racers. Austin Peay is 3-7 in Ohio Valley Conference games and sits eight games back of the OVC top of Murray State’s standings.
The teams meet for the second time in conference play this season. The Bruins won 75-67 in the first of two matchups on Jan. 28.
Governors’ Inexperience Showing
The freshman-heavy Governors are led in scoring and rebounding by Elijah Hutchins-Everett. The frosh averages 13.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Freshman shooting guard Drew Calderon has improved his play throughout the Governors season, and across the last ten games, he has been scoring 7.2 points per game.
Junior guard Carlos Paez is averaging a team-high 3.7 assists per game. One of the veterans of this young Governors squad averages 6.4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
The Governors receive 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game from another veteran of Division I wars in junior Cameron Copeland.
Bruins Eye the Conference Prize
Don’t sleep on the Ohio Valley Conference. Most weekend warriors believe that Belmont is the mid-major team to beat in March. The Racers of Murray State are rated the best of the Ohio Valley by most analytical college basketball portals. KenPom ranks Murray State as the 27th best team in Division I, while Belmont rates as the 54th best among the 358 programs that make up the Division I group.
Sheppard’s 41 points on Saturday were a career-high. The 6’6″ shooting wing is averaging 16.7 points for the Bruins.
NBA-ready Nick Muszynski is averaging 15.3 points and 1.9 blocks over the last ten games for Belmont. Nick Muszynski is the proud owner of 97 career double-figure scoring games. The 6-11 center has his name in the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award hat this season. In addition, Muszynski was one of the top players at the ESPN Events Invitational, averaging 24.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.3 blocked shots per game while earning All-Tournament Team honors.
Senior leader Grayson Murphy ranks second in assists and eighth in steals among all active players in college basketball. In addition, Murphy is one of only five active players in Division I to record multiple triple-doubles. The 6-3 guard crossed the 1,000 career point total this season in the victory over Furman.
Belmont returns 97 percent of its offensive production and minutes from last season. In addition, All-OVC performers Nick Muszynski and Grayson Murphy stand among the most accomplished players at their respective positions in college basketball.
Belmont vs Austin Peay Forecast
The Bruins are 13-5 against the spread in their last 18 games as a favorite, while the Governors are 2-7 ATS in their previous nine games as a visitor.
The Governors are a perfect 9-0 to Under the Total when playing a team with a winning percentage of better than .600.
The Bruins have been 9-2 against the Austin Peay Governors since January of 2016, and they will extend that success on Monday night. The experience of Bruins is a ridiculous mismatch for the freshman led Governors.
My recommendation is a play on the Belmont Bruins minus the points.
Interested in placing a bet on Monday’s Belmont vs Austin Peay clash in the Ohio Valley? Caesars Sports is offering up to a $1,500 match bet for first-time deposits in New Jersey, West Virginia, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona, New York and Louisiana.
College Basketball Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his College Basketball Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Monday’s sheet, with notes on this Belmont vs Austin Peay contest.
Under the Radar | College Basketball Betting Tips
Which teams are being under-valued as we head into February? WagerTalk college basketball handicapper Drew Martin offers his thoughts on a handful of squads that might be laying under the betting radar.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the college basketball point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Monday’s NCAAB games, including this Belmont vs Austin Peay showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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