Evansville (5-10) vs Illinois State (10-5)
January 8, 2025 at 08:00 PM EST
The Line: Betting Odds: Evansville +5.5 — Over/Under: 134
The Illinois State Redbirds are visiting the Evansville Purple Aces on Wednesday, January 8th at the Ford Center. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s an Illinois State Redbirds vs Evansville Purple Aces Prediction. We will examine:
The Evansville Purple Aces’ recent form and player performance
The Illinois State Redbirds’ recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Evansville Purple Aces
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Illinois State Redbirds
Recent betting trends in games played between Illinois State Redbirdsand Evansville Purple Aces
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Illinois State Redbirds vs Evansville Purple Aces game
Evansville Purple Aces Preview
The Evansville Purple Aces have a 5-10 record this season and are sitting in the 6th place in the Missouri Valley. They are coming off a 62-66 loss to Indiana State. The Purple Aces are 5-9 against the spread, and 3-11 in over/under, while having a 4-4 home record.
Offensively, Evansville is averaging 64.9 points per game, which ranks 347th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 70.1 points per game (147th). The Purple Aces shoot 41.7% from the field (318th) and 29% from beyond the arc (345th). The Purple Aces shoot 66.7% from the free throw line (346th), and they are grabbing 32.8 rebounds per game (326th).
Gabriel Pozzato leads Evansville in scoring this season, with an average of 15.4 points and 3.8 rebounds, while Tayshawn Comer adds 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Illinois State Redbirds Preview
The Illinois State Redbirds have a 10-5 record this season and are sitting in the 10th place of the Missouri Valley. Illinois State is coming off an 85-54 win over Southern Illinois. The Redbirds are 11-3 against the spread and 7-6-1 in over/under while having a 3-1 road record.
Offensively, Illinois State is averaging 79.1 points per game, which is 95th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 70.8 points per game (172nd). The Redbirds shoot 49.8% from the field (19th) and 40.8% from beyond the arc, which is the 7th-best in the nation. The Redbirds shoot 78.4% from the free-throw line (17th) and are grabbing 34.3 rebounds per game (285th).
Johny Kinziger leads Illinois State in scoring with an average of 14.3 points and 3.6 rebounds, while Chase Walker adds 13.9 points and a team-high 6.2 rebounds.
Why the Evansville Purple Aces will win
- Illinois State has lost each of its last 16 Wednesday road games against the Missouri Valley Conference.
- Evansville has won the first half in seven of its last eight games at Ford Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Why the Illinois State Redbirds will win
- Evansville has lost seven of its last eight night games.
- Illinois State has won six of its last seven games.
- Illinois State has won the first half in eight of its last nine games at Ford Center against non-AP-ranked opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Each of Evansville’s last eight night games against non-AP-ranked opponents at Ford Center have produced a total of 137+ points.
- Thirteen of Illinois State’s last 14 games have produced a total of 136+ points.
Matchup/League Facts
- Evansville ranks T16th among Division 1 teams for opponent blocks per game this season (2.1).
- Illinois State ranks 2nd among Division 1 teams for true shooting percentage this season (62.9%).
- Illinois State ranks 3rd among Division 1 teams for effective field goal percentage this season (59.4%).
Illinois State Redbirds vs Evansville Purple Aces Prediction
Illinois State is 5-3 in their last 8 meetings against Evansville, and are 5-3 against the spread as well. Under is 4-1-1 in their last 6 meetings, and in their most recent meeting last season, Evansville won 59-53 on the road, covering the spread, as the game went under the total. In this Illinois State Redbirds vs Evansville Purple Aces Prediction, Illinois State is coming as -5.5 road favorites. Illinois State is better offensively, scoring 14.2 points more than Evansville, while Evansville is better defensively, allowing 0.7 points less. The Redbirds are winning by an average of 8.3 points this season, while the Purple Aces are losing by an average of 5.2 points. The Redbirds have been red-hot lately, and they have an almost perfect 7-1 against the spread record in their last 8 games, while on the other hand, the Purple Aces are just 2-5 against the spread. Take the better team in the Illinois State Redbirds and lay the points on the road.