Murray State vs. Valparaiso MVC Tournament Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 2, 2023

The No. 7 seed Murray State Racers (16-14, 11-9 MVC) are favored by 1 point in the MVC Tournament when they play the No. 10 seed Valparaiso Beacons (11-20, 5-15 MVC) Thursday at Enterprise Center, tipping off at 7:00 PM on ESPN+. The winner moves one game closer to claiming a guaranteed place in the NCAA Tournament bracket. The point total for the matchup is 141.5.

Murray State vs. Valparaiso Odds

• Murray State odds to win: -120
• Valparaiso odds to win: -100
• Spread: Murray State (-1)
• Total: 141.5

Murray State vs. Valparaiso Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• Date: Thursday, March 2, 2023
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• TV: ESPN+
• Where: St. Louis, Missouri
• Venue: Enterprise Center

Who Will Win Murray State vs. Valparaiso?

Murray State and Valparaiso Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

In games it has played as at least 1-point favorites this season, Murray State is 6-5-1 against the spread.

Valparaiso has a 7-13 record against the spread when an underdog by 1 point or more this season.

These two teams average a combined 140 points per game, 1.5 fewer points than the total of 141.5 set for this game.

Opponents of the two teams average a combined 4.7 more points per game, 146.2, than this game’s over/under of 141.5 points.

Murray State’s average total in matchups this year has been 143.2, 1.7 points higher than the total in this particular game.

The average total in Beacons games this year is 1.5 more points than the point total of 141.5 in this outing.

The Racers’ ATS record is 12-16-1 this season.

The Beacons are 13-17-0 ATS this season.

Murray State Stats & Insights

Murray State averages 70.5 points per game (205th in college basketball) while allowing 72.7 per outing (258th in college basketball). It has a -67 scoring differential overall and has been outscored by 2.2 points per game.

Murray State records 31.1 rebounds per game (223rd in college basketball) compared to the 31.6 of its opponents.

The Racers knock down 6.1 three-pointers per game (311th in college basketball) while shooting 33.2% from beyond the arc (241st in college basketball). They are making 2.4 fewer threes per contest than their opponents, who drain 8.5 per game while shooting 34.1%.

Murray State’s 93.6 points per 100 possessions on offense rank 188th in college basketball, and the 96.6 points it allows per 100 possessions rank 312th in college basketball.

Offensively, the Racers have played better in home games this season, scoring 73.6 points per game, compared to 65.9 per game away from home.

Valparaiso Stats & Insights

Valparaiso has a -121 scoring differential, falling short by four points per game. It is putting up 69.5 points per game, 231st in college basketball, and is allowing 73.5 per outing to rank 283rd in college basketball.

Valparaiso is 240th in college basketball at 30.9 rebounds per game. That’s similar to the 31.4 its opponents average.

Valparaiso knocks down 1.1 fewer threes per game than the opposition, 6.3 (296th in college basketball) compared to its opponents’ 7.4.

Valparaiso ranks 250th in college basketball with 91 points scored per 100 possessions, and 304th defensively with 96.1 points conceded per 100 possessions.

At home, the Beacons average 72.5 points per game. On the road, they score 67.

Murray State Key Players to Watch

The Racers scoring leader is Rob Perry, who averages 14.1 per contest to go with 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

Murray State’s leading rebounder is Damiree Burns averaging 6.6 boards per game and its best passer is Jacobi Wood and his 4.5 assists per game.

Perry leads the Racers in three-point shooting, knocking down an average of 1.8 shots per game from beyond the arc.

Wood is Murray State’s leader in steals, averaging 1.4 steals per game, while Kenny White Jr. leads them in blocks with 0.8 per contest.

Valparaiso Key Players to Watch

The Beacons’ leader in scoring and rebounding is Ben Krikke with 19.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Valparaiso’s assist leader is Nick Edwards with five per game. He also averages 7.6 points per game and grabs 3.9 rebounds per game.

Quinton Green is the top shooter from deep for the Beacons, hitting 2.2 threes per game.

Valparaiso’s leader in steals is Edwards with 1.5 per game, and its leader in blocks is Krikke with 0.9 per game.

Murray State vs. Valparaiso Prediction

• Pick ATS:

  Valparaiso (+1)
  

• Pick OU:

  Over (141.5)
  

• Prediction:
  Murray State 72, Valparaiso 71

How to Bet on Murray State vs. Valparaiso

And for more CBB game previews, NCAA basketball picks or even how to bet on college basketball check out the latest NCAAB lines on Betsperts.