Halftime Report
Only one more half stands between Belmont and the win they were favored to collect coming into this afternoon. They have jumped out to a quick 38-30 lead against Middle Tennessee.
Belmont entered the match having won three straight and they’re just one half away from another. Will they make it four, or will Middle Tennessee step up and spoil it? We’ll know soon.
Who’s Playing
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders @ Belmont Bruins
Current Records: Middle Tennessee 7-2, Belmont 7-2
How To Watch
What to Know
The Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will face off against the Belmont Bruins at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Curb Event Center. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.
Middle Tennessee is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They claimed a resounding 103-55 victory over Rhodes. The Blue Raiders have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won three games by 23 points or more this season.
Middle Tennessee smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 18 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they’ve now pulled down at least ten offensive rebounds in nine consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, it may have taken overtime to finish the job, but Belmont ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They skirted by Illinois State 99-97 thanks to a clutch jump shot from Carter Whitt with but a second left in the third quarter. The win was familiar territory for the Bruins who have now won three matches in a row.
Belmont can attribute much of their success to Isaiah Walker, who went 10 for 12 en route to 24 points plus two steals. What’s more, Walker also posted a 83.3% field goal percentage, which is the highest he’s posted since back in January. Another player making a difference was Jonathan Pierre, who almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine rebounds.
Middle Tennessee is on a roll lately: they’ve won four of their last five contests, which provided a nice bump to their 7-2 record this season. As for Belmont, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-2.
Saturday’s game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Middle Tennessee has been crazy accurate this season, having nailed 48.1% of their field goals per game. However, it’s not like Belmont struggles in that department as they’ve made 48.3% of their field goals this season. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Middle Tennessee is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they’re headed for a loss. For those looking to play the spread, take note: they are a solid 4-1 against the spread when playing as the underdog.
Odds
Belmont is a 3-point favorite against Middle Tennessee, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Bruins, as the game opened with the Bruins as a 1.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 153.5 points.
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Series History
Belmont has won 4 out of their last 7 games against Middle Tennessee.
- Dec 09, 2023 – Belmont 75 vs. Middle Tennessee 65
- Dec 10, 2022 – Middle Tennessee 85 vs. Belmont 75
- Nov 30, 2019 – Belmont 71 vs. Middle Tennessee 59
- Nov 12, 2018 – Belmont 92 vs. Middle Tennessee 73
- Nov 16, 2017 – Belmont 69 vs. Middle Tennessee 63
- Dec 14, 2016 – Middle Tennessee 79 vs. Belmont 66
- Dec 17, 2015 – Middle Tennessee 83 vs. Belmont 62
