The UT-Martin Skyhawks and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers meet in college basketball action from E.A. Diddle Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The UT-Martin Skyhawks will look to build off of a 103-43 win over subdivision Carver Bible College last time out. KJ Simon leads the Skyhawks in scoring with 17.5 PPG along with 5.2 RPG while KK Curry has 16.3 PPG with a team-high 7.2 RPG as the only other double-digit score for UT-Martin at this point in the season. Darius Simmons has 9.5 PPG and Koby Jeffries has a team-high 4.3 APG this season. As a team, UT-Martin is averaging 78.3 PPG on 47.4% shooting from the field, 33.1% from three and 68.3% from the foul line while allowing 71 PPG on 39.1% shooting from the field and 29.8% from three this season.
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will be out to build on an 88-62 win over Alabama A&M last time out. Dayvion McKnight leads WKU in scoring, rebounding and assists with 15.8 PPG, 7 RPG and 4.8 APG while Jairus Hamilton has a team-high 15 PPG with 4 RPG and Josh Anderson and Camron Justice each have 10+ PPG as well for WKU for the year. as a team, Western Kentucky is averaging 72.4 PPG on 44% shooting from the field, 33.6% from three and 62.5% from the foul line while allowing 71.6 PPG on 42.4% shooting from the field and 32.3 % from three this season.
UT-Martin is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games after scoring 100 points or more in the previous game while the under is 8-1 in their last 9 games following a win. Western Kentucky is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games against a team with a losing road record and 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games when their opponent scores 100 or more in the previous game while the over is 4-1 in their last 5 wins by 20 points or more.
I get the feeling that it feels troubling to lay this many points with a Western Kentucky team that’s under .500 on the year. However, like Western Kentucky’s football team, the Hilltoppers scheduled some tough opposition out of the gate and I think that will serve them well. Sure, the Skyhawks have three wins, but two came against subdivision opponents and UTM has been held down by lesser opposition this season. Give me the Hilltoppers laying the points in this one.