Eastern Kentucky Colonels AT Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Feb 3, 2011 at 8:30 PM EST
Opening Line:  Tenn Tech -2
Current Line:  Tenn Tech -1
Opening Total: 140
Current Total: 140.5
Opening Moneyline:  Tenn Tech -125 / E Ky +105
Current Moneyline:  Tenn Tech -120 / E Ky +100

Tonight’s game brings together Ohio Valley Conference rivals Eastern Kentucky (12-10) and Tennessee Tech (11-9).  Tennessee Tech boasts the better conference record with a 7-4 record against Ohio Valley conference opponents.  It’s good enough to rank them 3rd in the Ohio Valley Conference.  Eastern Kentucky’s in conference record is 6-5, making them 6th in the conference at this point in the season.

Eastern Kentucky has won 5 of their past 6 games, defeating Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri State, SIU Edwardsville, Morehead State, and Tenneseee State.  The lone loss over those 6 games was a 61-52 loss to Austin Peay.  Tennesee Tech has won 5 of their last 7 games, with victories over Eastern Kentucky (the teams met at EKU on January 8th and Tenn Tech won by 12), Tennessee Martin, Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois, and Southeast Missouri State.  The two losses mixed in came against Murray State and Tennessee State.  Both teams have about the same point differential with EKU at +4.9 and Tenn Tech at +5.5.  The combinative total of their output amounts to 155.2, well over the total set by college basketball oddsmakers, making an ‘over’ bet a prudent idea.

Some betting trends:

Eastern Kentucky is 5-0 SU in their last 5 road games and they are 3-8 SU in their last 11 games on the road at Tennessee Tech.

Tennessee Tech is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games and 5-2 SU In their last 7 home games.  Tennessee Tech is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games against EKU.  Tennessee Tech is 1-5 SU in their last 6 against EKU.  The total has gone OVER in 5 of Tennesee Tech’s last 7 games against EKU.  Tennessee Tech is 8-3 SU in their last 11 home games against the Colonels.

Tennessee Tech has a balanced scoring attack.  With the exception of Alfred Jones (9.2 points per game), all of the five starters score in double figures and they have a pretty tight six man rotation.  They are led by 6’6″ junior forward Kevin Murphy who puts up 15.1 points per game, 2 assists, and 4.2 boards.  He shoots 34.4% from three (22 of 64) and has scored in double figures in all but three games.  His scoring average is tilted from the 16 minute game he put in against Southeast Missouri State, when he scored only 2 points, but he has high games of 25 (vs UT-Martin) and 31 (vs Murray State).  Tennesee Tech is without any real inside presences.  No one averages more than 5 rebounds a game and there are no shot blockers to speak of.  As a team they shoot 37% from three (106 of 285), so they can get going from distance.

Eastern Kentucky University is led by the quartet of Spencer Perrin, Josh Daniel, Justin Stommes, and Joshua Jones, who collectively score 45.8 points per game (68% of EKU’s offensive output).  6’5″ Spencer Perrin of Danville, Kentucky leads the way in minutes played and points, averaging 28.8 minutes a night and 12.8 points per game.  He also leads the way on the boards with 5.3 rebounds per game.  He’s shooting an outstanding 54.5% from the floor and 35.3% from three (he has only attempted 34 threes so far though).  He’s a very inconsistent player that will get you 20 one night and 6 the next, so he’s a bit of a wildcard, and a very important wildcard as their best player, although in the 7 games he has scored in single digits, EKU has still won 5 of them.  In the last 6 games (5 of them EKU wins) he has averaged 13.0 ppg.

Tonight’s game should be close according to college basketball oddsmakers.  Both teams are very evenly matched and the balanced scoring attacks of both teams speak well of the depth and quality of these teams.  They’ll be no match in March, but this is a great in conference game.