Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan - 3/6/20 College Basketball Pick, Odds, and Prediction

Western Michigan lost 5 of their final 6 games to end the regular season and won their last game in the 1st round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament against Eastern Michigan 70-54 as a 2 ½-point home underdog. Western Michigan is ranked 324th by KenPom, with the 227th ranked offense and 251st ranked defense in the country. Western Michigan is led by Junior guard Michael Flowers, who averages 16.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, and Junior forward Brandon Johnson, who averages 15.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.

Central Michigan is 1-9 straight up and 3-6-1 against the spread in their last 10 games. Central Michigan is 4-4 straight up and 5-3-1 against the spread in conference home games this season. Central Michigan averages 88.1 points per game and surrenders 74.1 points per game to opponents, and the Chippewas have shot 46.2% from the field, 38.4% from 3 and 72.8% from the free-throw line in those games. 

Central Michigan has lost 9 consecutive games, and they lost their last game to Ball State 68-85 as 6 ½-point road underdogs. Central Michigan is ranked 220th by KenPom, with the 184th ranked offense and 265th ranked defense in the country. Central Michigan is led by Senior forward David DiLeo, who averages 14.7 points and 5 rebounds per game, and Senior guard Kevin McKay, who averages 13.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

Central Michigan is 6-4 straight up and 8-2 against the spread in the last 10 meetings between these schools, 6 of which went over the betting total. The under is 7-3 in the last 10 games for Western Michigan and 5-5 in the last 10 for Central Michigan.

Central Michigan has been on a terrible run lately and I don’t see it ending here in the Mid-American Tournament. I’ll take the points with Western Michigan.