Eastern Illinois State Panthers at Jacksonville State Gamecocks
December 21st, 2010 at 8:45 PM EST
Opening Line: Jacksonville State -1
Current Line: Jacksonville State -2.5
Opening Total: 120
Current Total: 120
Opening Moneyline: Jack. St. -120 / Eastern Ill. +100
Current Moneyline: Jack. St. -135 / Eastern Ill. +115
Despite their abysmal 2-10 record, college basketball oddsmakers have set the line in Jacksonville State’s favor, with the spread opening at -1. Eastern Illinois is 4-7, but find themselves underdogs due to their poor road play. They aer 1-5 in their past 6 road games. Jacksonville State also won the last matchup between these two teams by a score of 70-55. But Eastern Illinois won the game before that by 2. Eastern Illinois has, in fact, won 7 of their past 10 against Jacksonville State.
Some Betting trends: Eastern Illinois has lost 5 of their past 6 road games, as mentioned. Jacksonville State has lost their past 5 games and are 1-5 at home this year. They are 2-5-1 ATS in their past 8 games against Eastern Illinois. Jacksonville State is 2-4 ATS in their past 6 games against Eastern Illinois. Both teams have negative point differentials. Eastern Illinois is -5.8, scoring 59.8 but giving up 65.6; and Jacksonville state is -5.4, scoring 60.2 and giving up 65.6
Jacksonville State is led by 6’4″ senior small forward Nick Murphy. Despite being 6’4″, Murphy’s 225 pound frame enables him to bang with the big guys and he averages 6.2 boards a game. He’s a good all around player, capable of scoring down low or taking opponents outside, where he shoots 36.8% from three. He has scored in double figures in all but one Jacksonville State game, a loss to UAB where he had only 9. His highest scoring game so far has been a 20 piont game against VMI, though Jacksonville State lost that game by 11. 6’6″ junior forward Stephen Hall is having a pretty good year, too, scoring 12.3 points per game and shooting 50% from the floor. He, too, is undersized for his position, but like Murphy, he is pretty built to make up for the lack of height. Jacksonville State will need big play from Murphy and Hall to win their first conference game tonight and emerge from the cellar of the Ohio Valley conference.
Eastern Illinois has a very balanced scoring attack. All five of their starters average 8 points or more a game, but no one averages more than 12, and they don’t play their bench much at all (no one averages more than 12 minutes a game off the bench). Their leading scorer 6’1″ junior point guard Jeremy Granger paces them with 12.0 points a game to go with 3.8 assists and 3.5 boards a game. He’s not much of a shooter, and has only attempted 4 threes all year, missing all of them. He’ll look to get to the basket and create for himself and teammates. His backcourt mate, 6’1″senior guard Tyler Laser will score some off his looks, but is a poor shooter, shooting only 35% from the floor this year. Tennesee Tech will give him open shots, and it’s up to him to make them pay. More likely than not, however, he will miss them and it will lead to Tennesse Tech probably covering the point spread set by college basketball oddsmakers.
This promises to be a close game between conference rivals as predicted by college basketball oddsmakers. Jacksonville State is favored despite their 2-10 record, but Eastern Illinois has a very good chance of winning too and the spread is set close accordingly.
