Florida International vs Western Kentucky Prediction 3/6/25 College Basketball Picks

The Florida International Panthers and the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers meet Thursday in college basketball action from Diddle Arena. Here’s an FIU vs Western Kentucky prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best FIU vs Western Kentucky pick. We will examine: 

The Florida International Panthers’ recent form and player performance

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers’ recent form and player performance 

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Florida International Panthers

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Recent betting trends in games played between FIU and Western Kentucky

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the FIU vs Western Kentucky game

Florida International Panthers Betting Preview

The Panthers had a pretty good stretch of games going in December and January, but aside from that they’ve struggled mightily this year. FIU managed a 7-8 run in their first 15 outings overall, taking losses to Rice, Southern Utah, Howard, Northeastern, Florida Gulf Coast, FAU, East Carolina, and Middle Tennessee in that time. Since then the Panthers have won just twice (versus Sam Houston and Kennesaw State). Otherwise, it’s been losses to LA Tech, Sam Houston, New Mexico State, UTEP, Liberty, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, LA Tech, UTEP, New Mexico State, Liberty, and Jacksonville State in succession. That gives FIU a 9-20 overall run through 29 games so far this season. 

In the Jacksonville State game on Saturday, the Panthers came out of the first half with a 37-28 deficit. FIU fought back to force overtime but eventually lost in the end 84-79. Leading the team in scoring was Jonathan Aybar with 19 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Vianney Salatchoum came off the bench for 18 points with seven boards and two assists, while Dashon Gittens chipped in with 10 points and eight boards in 28 minutes of work. 

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Preview

Over on the Hilltoppers’ side, they were looking pretty good overall in early February themselves but it’s been a choppy run since then. Western Kentucky went just 3-3 in their first half-dozen outings, then caught fire in December with six straight wins. A 2-5 run came next with wins over Liberty and Kennesaw State among losses to Michigan, FIU, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee, and LA Tech. Wins over Sam Houston, UTEP, and New Mexico State followed, then losses to Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee, and Sam Houston. After wins over LA Tech and UTEP in the next pair, the Hilltoppers fell to New Mexico State to drop to 16-13 overall through 29 games so far this year. 

Matched up against New Mexico State in the road rematch on Saturday, the Hilltoppers came out of the break sporting a 34-20 deficit. Western Kentucky didn’t get any closer than that on a 31-27 run from there and took the loss 65-47 in the end. Leading the team in scoring was Tyrone Marshall with 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists during the defeat. Also in double-figures was Don McHenry with 10 points, three rebounds, and two steals.

Why the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will win

• Florida International has lost each of its last eight road games against non-AP-ranked opponents.
• The home team has won 10 of the last 11 games between Florida International and Western Kentucky.
• Western Kentucky has won the first half in five of its last six home games against Florida International.

FIU vs Western Kentucky Prediction 

I’ll stay with Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers are coming off a pretty listless loss to New Mexico State though, so they’ll need a good bounce-back here. WKU shot a miserable 26.9 percent from the field in that one and got outmuscled on the boards 48-25. That gives the Hilltoppers fewer than 65 points in three of the last four games, so it’d be nice to see a solid total here. 

WKU played poorly in an 85-66 road loss back on January 4 when these teams last met up. The Hilltoppers shot just 36.8 percent from the field in that one alongside a 41-27 rebounding deficit and 20 turnovers for 25 Panthers points. Western Kentucky needs to clean up their act in this home rematch, but I think they can power out some revenge here. 

Andrew Jett's Pick: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -8.5