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The stakes are only heating up around the world of college basketball! The 18th-ranked Dayton Flyers will be in for another test when they square off against the Saint Joseph's Hawks. Let's take an exclusive look at our college basketball odds series where our Dayton-Saint Joseph's prediction and pick will be revealed for all to see.
Evidently, Dayton hasn't endured a whole lot of losing so far this season as the high-flying Flyers enter play with an 18-3 overall record. In conference play, Dayton has only gone down in defeat once coming to the Richmond Spiders who they happen to be tied with atop the throne of the Atlantic-10 Conference Standings.
Meanwhile, Saint Joseph's find themselves in a position where a win over a team like Dayton could change the course of their season in the blink of an eye. Certainly, the Hawks passed the eye test many times this season, but they still only sit in fifth place within the conference. Nevertheless, Saint Joseph's may be gelling as a team with five wins in their last six contests. Overall, the Hawks are 15-7 and 5-4 in A-10 play.
Here are the college basketball odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Basketball Odds: Dayton-Saint Joseph's Odds
Dayton: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -122
Saint Joseph's: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +102
Over: 141.5 (-115)
Under: 141.5 (-105)
How to Watch Dayton vs. Saint Joseph's
Time: 8:00 ET/5:00 PT
TV: CBS Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why Dayton Will Cover The Spread/Win
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Defense is the name of the game for the Flyers, and they sure do an exceptional job on that end of the floor. Despite giving up a loftier-than-usual amount according to their standards in a 76-71 win over St. Bonaventure, Dayton knows how to put on the clamps when called upon in the most critical of moments. In fact, the Flyers surrender only 64.3 points per game and are an absolute terror when in defending mode.
In addition to an elite defense, it is hard to turn a blind eye on the fact that DaRon Holmes is an incredible talent. In other words, he is HIM. Thanks to his monstrous 34 point-game that resulted in propping up his points per game total of 20. Simply put, the Flyers high-scoring junior forward has a smooth-looking jump shot and is even turning out to be a threat on the perimeter. At the end of the day, Holmes is the best player on either side entering this showdown and that should go a long way in covering the spread as the road team.
Yes, Dayton was able to win their most recent game, but they did so by barely hanging on including shooting only 20% from way downtown. News flash, but it is hard to consistently win games at the college basketball level when the three-point shot is close to irrelevant. This cannot continue to be the case for Dayton, especially if this turns into a shootout.
Why Saint Joseph's Will Cover The Spread/Win
Facing an uphill climb at home, there is no question that Saint Joseph's will need to play the perfect game, but anything is truly possible.
Then again, let us. to forget that the Hawks have seemingly become allergic to losing as of late and are even 10-2 inside their own building. If there is one aspect of this game that stands out, it is that Dayton and Saint Joseph's couldn't be more different. With the Flyers being known as defensive pests, it is the Hawks that have made a name for themselves with their elite shooting touch at nearly 78 points per game.
Although they will be challenged against a defensive juggernaut, Saint Joseph's will also be keeping their fingers crossed that they can attack the offensive glass with authority if shots aren't falling as frequently as the team would like. In reality, this is where the Hawks thrive as they must increase their scoring opportunities as much as possible. In the long run, dictating this matchup in the form of the rebounding department may be the one missing ingredient that Saint Joseph's will have to obtain if they are going to cook up a spread-covering recipe.
While relying on names like Erik Reynolds II and Lynn Greer III to inflict most of the damage buckets-wise, Saint Joseph's and its bettors should keep in mind that this is an extremely balanced starting lineup that all possess the ability to get hot from the floor.
Final Dayton-Saint Joseph's Prediction & Pick
Heading into the final month of the season, the intensity could not be any higher. However, side with the home team to make it an intriguing finish despite the win or loss.
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Final Dayton-Saint Joseph's Prediction & Pick: Saint Joseph's +1.5 (-110)
