Expect a fast-paced game when the Belmont Bruins (18-9) travel to Eastern Kentucky to play the Colonels (14-14). The game gets underway at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 18 and will air on ESU and ES3.
The Colonels lost a winnable game to Tennessee State 79-78 the last time they played. Ja’Mill Powell finished with 25 points to lead the game. The Bruins, meanwhile, are coming off a tough 78-77 loss to Morehead State in their last outing. Craig Bradshaw had a good shooting night, leading the game with 28 points.
When considering eFG%, the Bruins figure to have a substantial advantage on the offensive end. They rank fifth in the nation in that category at 58.3%, whereas the porous defense of Eastern Kentucky ranks 326th in eFG% defense with opponents connecting at a clip of 53.3%.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Colonels won the first game 88-78. Javontae Hawkins was a standout player in the game, producing 24 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and three three-pointers.
The Colonels enter the game with records of 14-14 Straight Up (SU) and 10-12-1 Against The Spread (ATS). The Colonels have one of the most prolific offenses in the entire nation, averaging 80.8 points per game. Eastern Kentucky is excellent from the perimeter with 235 three-pointers made (8.0 per game), the 36th-most in the country. Spreading the ball around is a huge part of Eastern Kentucky’s offense. They are 31st in the nation in assists with an average of 16.3 per game.
On the other side, the Bruins head into the game with records of 11-14-1 ATS and 18-9 SU. Most recently, Belmont is a meager 2-8 ATS over the last 10 games. They sport the 18th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 81.7 points per game. The Bruins are an excellent long-range shooting team with 278 three-point shots made (10.0 per game), ranking sixth in Division I. The Bruins are one of the top teams in the country at finding the open man with an average of 17.1 assists per game. The Bruins are in for a physical game against Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels are not afraid to send opponents to the free throw line, averaging 21.6 fouls per game.
Eastern Kentucky won the last meeting this season between these two teams, but Belmont still leads the head-to-head record over their most recent games, 5-4 SU. The Colonels hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-3. When it comes to field goals, rebounds, or three-pointers, neither team was able to hold the advantage in all three of these categories over their past five meetings against one another.
Predictions: SU Winner – EastKy, ATS Winner – EastKy
Notes
Eastern Kentucky is one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, averaging 80.8 points per game (ranked 23rd). Belmont, on the other hand, allows 76.6 points per game (ranked 215th).
Eastern Kentucky is one of the top-scoring teams at home, averaging 86.7 points per game (ranked 11th). Belmont, on the other hand, allows 77.9 points per away game (ranked 191st).
Belmont lost its last game by a one-point margin. In games decided by a margin of three points or less, Eastern Kentucky is 2-4. Belmont is 1-2 in close games this season.
Ranked 38th, the Belmont Bruins have an offensive rating of 113.3. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels rank 302nd with a defensive rating of just 109.3.
The Eastern Kentucky Colonels have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking seventh in the nation with a FG% of 49.7%. When their opponents have a similar or higher FG%, the Belmont Bruins are 3-2.
The Eastern Kentucky Colonels average 21.0 three point attempts per game, and the Belmont Bruins attempt 28.0 per game. When going for at least 20 three pointers in a game this season, both teams have winning records; Eastern Kentucky is 11-7 and Belmont is 16-9.
Belmont ranks 72nd in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.23. Eastern Kentucky is ranked lower at 148th with an A/TO of 1.10.
The Eastern Kentucky Colonels make an average of 7.2 steals per game. When the Belmont Bruins allow 7 or more steals, they are a solid 11-7.