Halftime Report
A win for Lipscomb would push their record over .500, and after one quarter of play they’ve put themselves in a good position to make it happen. Sitting on a score of 31-30, they have looked like the better team, but there’s still one more half to play.
If Lipscomb keeps playing like this, they’ll bump their record up to 3-2 in no time. On the other hand, Western Kentucky will have to make due with a 1-3 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Who’s Playing
Lipscomb Bisons @ Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
Current Records: Lipscomb 2-2, Western Kentucky 1-2
How To Watch
What to Know
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will face off against the Lipscomb Bisons at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at E.A. Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers will be strutting in after a victory while the Bisons will be stumbling in from a loss.
Western Kentucky took a loss when they played away from home last Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They steamrolled past Campbellsville 104-76.
Western Kentucky was working as a unit and finished the game with 27 assists. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Campbellsville only racked up 18.
Meanwhile, Lipscomb scored the most points they’ve had all season on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough. They lost 80-79 to Belmont on a last-minute free throw From Isaiah Walker. The loss hurts even more since the Bisons were up 73-61 with 3:55 left in the second.
Lipscomb’s defeat shouldn’t obscure the performances of Jacob Ognacevic, who went 10 for 17 en route to 28 points plus seven rebounds, and Will Pruitt, who went 8 for 14 en route to 20 points plus five assists and three steals. Those five assists gave Pruitt a new career-high.
Western Kentucky made their fans wait, but they earned their first win of the season to make their record 1-2. As for Lipscomb, their loss dropped their record down to 2-2.
Sunday’s matchup is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: Western Kentucky has been dynamite from deep this season, having drained 38.5% of their threes per game. However, it’s not like Lipscomb struggles in that department as they’ve nailed 36.7% of their threes this season. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
As for their next game, Western Kentucky is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by four points. For those looking to play the spread, watch out: Western Kentucky is expected to win, but their 0-1 record against the spread as such isn’t exactly encouraging.
Odds
Western Kentucky is a 4-point favorite against Lipscomb, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Hilltoppers as a 3.5-point favorite.
The oddsmakers are expecting fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 159.5 points.
See college basketball picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get picks now.