Earlier this season Bob Huggins joined Roy Williams as just the second coach to win 300 games at two Division I schools (Cincinnati and West Virginia). But what Williams has that Huggins doesn't is that elusive national championship as the Mountaineers' coach has advanced to two Final Fours but zero championship games. He's hoping that changes in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and his pursuit to a title starts in the first-round matchup of No. 3 West Virginia vs. No. 14 Morehead State.
Tip-off for this Big 12 vs. OVC contest is Friday at 9:50 p.m. ET from Indianapolis. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Mountaineers as 13-point favorites and the game's over-under is set at 136 in the latest West Virginia vs. Morehead State odds. Before making any Morehead State vs. West Virginia picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. It has also returned almost $500 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Morehead State vs. WVU in the NCAA Tournament 2021. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for WVU vs. Morehead State:
- West Virginia vs. Morehead State spread: West Virginia -13
- West Virginia vs. Morehead State over-under: 136 points
- West Virginia vs. Morehead State money line: West Virginia -1000, Morehead State +650
- WVU: West Virginia is 31-29 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and is making its first appearance since 2018
- MSU: Morehead State is 6-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and is making its first appearance since 2011
Why West Virginia can cover
With nine Sweet 16 appearances and two Final Fours, Huggins won't feel the pressure of a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup. He had the Mountaineers ranked as high as No. 6 in the country before losing three of their last four put them at No. 13 in the AP Poll. West Virginia is balanced with four players averaging in double-figures and it is deep as well as nine different Mountaineers are part of the rotation.
This is one of Huggins' best offense teams in Morgantown as it finished second in the Big 12 with 78.1 points per game and second with a 38.7 3-point percentage. But what the Mountaineers truly excel at is getting to and converting from the free-throw line. WVU ranks second in the nation in made free throws and third in attempted free throws, with junior Derek Culver leading the way at nearly seven attempts per game.
Why Morehead State can cover
Here is the list of teams with a better record than Morehead State in 2021: Gonzaga. That's it. The Eagles have gone 19-1 since the calendar flipped with their one defeat being avenged twice over. Under coach Preston Spradlin, the Eagles crash the boards relentlessly and that leads to fewer second-chance opportunities for the opponent. Using this approach, the Eagles led the OVC in both rebound differential (+7.6) and points allowed per game (61.8).
Another big reason for Morehead State's epic run has been the play of OVC Freshman of the Year Johni Broome. The 6-10 forward has NBA talent and will arguably be the best player on the floor come Friday. Broome is one of three freshmen nationally to lead his team in scoring (13.9), rebounding (9.0) and blocked shots (1.8) as he's the catalyst for the Eagles' success. Morehead State has made a conscious effort to get Broome more involved as the team is 15-1 when he scores 14+ points but just 7-6 when he scores under 14.
How to make Morehead State vs. West Virginia picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 138 points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Morehead State vs. West Virginia? And which side of the spread hits over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the computer model that has crushed its college basketball picks.
