Western Carolina vs VMI 2/26/22 College Basketball Picks, Predictions, Odds
VMI Keydets (16-13) vs. Western Carolina Catamounts (10-20)
February 26, 2022 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Western Carolina Catamounts +5 / VMI Keydets -5; Over/Under: -146.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The VMI Keydets and the Western Carolina Catamounts meet in college basketball action from the Ramsey Center on Saturday night.
The VMI Keydets will look to rebound from an 83-72 loss to Wofford last time out. Jake Stephens leads the Keydets in scoring and rebounding with 19.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG while Kamdyn Curfman has 15.8 PPG with 2.5 APG and Trey Bonham has 13 PPG with a team-high 4.1 APG to lead VMI in assists up to this point in the year. Honor Huff has 10.3 PPG to make up the group of double-digit scorers for VMI this season and Sean Conway has 8 PPG with 5.7 RPG this season. As a team, VMI is averaging 79.7 PPG on 46.4% shooting from the field, 38.6% from behind the arc and 78.1% from three while allowing 73.5 PPG on 41% shooting from the field and 33.7% from behind the arc this season.
The Western Carolina Catamounts will hope to bounce back from a 73-64 loss to UNC-Greensboro last time out. Nicholas Robinson leads the Catamounts in scoring and rebounding with 14.9 PPG and 7.1 RPG while Travion McCray has 11.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG so far this season. Vontarius Woolbright has 10 PPG with 5.9 RPG and a team-high 4 APG to lead Western Carolina in assists this season and round out the group of double-digit scorers for the Catamounts so far this year. As a team, Western Carolina is averaging 70.9 PPG on 40% shooting from the field, 32.2% from three and 68% from the foul line while allowing 77.3 PPG on 44.3% shooting from the field and 35.4% from three this season.
VMI is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following an ATS loss and 0-5-1 ATS in their last 6 games against a team with a winning percentage below .400 while the over is 5-1 in their last 6 games following a double-digit loss at home. The under is 9-3 in Western Carolina’s last 12 games overall and 14-5 in their last 19 home games.
I get the case to be made for a home underdog in certain spots, but while Western Carolina plays better at home, the Catamounts are still just 7-5 SU at home this season. The catamounts have also been torched defensively in conference play this season. So has VMI, but the Keydets have the offense to make up for any defensive shortcomings, so I’ll side with the Keydets laying the points here.
