The Central Michigan Chippewas (3-3 overall, 0-0 MAC) take on the Western Michigan Broncos (1-4, 0-0) in a Friday afternoon (2 p.m. ET) contest at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. Below, we analyze the Central Michigan-Western Michigan college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Central Michigan at Western Michigan: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:35 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Central Michigan +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Western Michigan -115 (bet $115 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Central Michigan +1 (-110) | Western Michigan -1 (-110)
- Over/Under: 143.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Central Michigan at Western Michigan: Three things to know
- Friday’s matinee contest marks the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams. A year ago, the Chippewas went 7-11 in 18 MAC battles; the Broncos went 6-12. CMU and WMU finished 10th and 12th, respectively, in the 12-team circuit. The Chips swept last year’s season series, winning two games by a combined 24 points. Central has won six in a row (straight up and against the spread) in the all-time series.
- Western Michigan has three underclassmen filling out significant minutes in its top-six rotation. Sophomores B. Artis White and Titus Wright are leading the Broncos in scoring so far. White — a 5-foot-9 guard — is averaging 14.6 points per game and a team-high 3.6 assists per game. Wright — a 6-foot-8 center — is averaging 11.6 PPG and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game.
- These two programs want to play vastly different styles when it comes to pace of play. Looking at 2020-21 analytics, Central plays at a top-15 pace and Western plays at a bottom-100 pace. All four of WMU’s games against NCAA-I foes have involved 68 possessions or less. All five of CMU’s games have had 73-plus.
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Central Michigan at Western Michigan: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Western Michigan 71, Eastern Michigan 68
Money line (ML)
Western Michigan was comparatively solid over the back half of its home slate a year ago. Add that to some respect for this season’s ATS wins over Butler and Michigan State, and there is value in backing the Broncos at -110. Consider a line watch here.
Against the spread (ATS)
Central Michigan is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four games after scoring 90-plus the game before. They have the same mark in recent games against foes with losing records.
Western was decent early only to have things go sideways late in two recent setbacks. The Broncos can leverage a shaky CMU defense and prevail at home. The line could have some too-much-recency bias built in.
TAKE WESTERN MICHIGAN -1 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
Half-decent “pace comps” for Western Michigan include games against Michigan State, Detroit and Milwaukee. The Broncos asserted their slower pace, and the Under hit in two of those games; the third was a near miss.
BACK THE UNDER 143.5 (-110).
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