The Dayton Flyers (23-10) visit the Toledo Rockets (26-7) in a Wednesday NIT test at Savage Arena. The first-round game tips off at 7 p.m. ET. Below, we look at the Dayton at Toledo odds and lines, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and bets.
Dayton was a serious contender in the Atlantic 10 Conference, but the Flyers were ousted in the semifinals of the league tournament. That loss marked just the Flyers’ fourth since Jan. 6 – all four were away from home. UD is a solid shooting team and one that can defend in its own end. The Flyers tie it all together with good rebounding at both ends.
Toledo was the regular-season champ of the Mid-American Conference. Before losing to eventual tournament winner Akron in the MAC semifinals, Toledo had won six in a row and by a margin of 19.4 points per game. The fast-tempo Rockets averaged 84.7 points per game over that stretch.
See also: Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports
Dayton at Toledo odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:02 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Dayton +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Toledo -130 (bet $130 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Dayton +1.5 (-110) | Toledo -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 142.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)
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Dayton at Toledo odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Dayton 71, Toledo 68
Both of these teams are young and may be playing well into the month of March the next couple years. But Dayton gets the edge in this I-75 battle.
The Flyers have much greater experience in the Quad 1-2 arena. UD has played 14 such games to UT’s six. Dayton has gone 8-6 in those games against better competition.
Dayton is a good shot-blocking team, and that figures to bother a Toledo five accustomed to getting a lot of points in and around the paint. Dayton is also a good 3-point shooting team that struggled from distance in the A-10 tourney. Look for some positive regression in that area.
Unfortunately for the Flyers, PG Malachi Smith is questionable. The freshman injured his ankle and exited in the second half of the Flyers’ A-10 semifinal loss to Richmond. The wheels fell off for UD after he left the game. As of Tuesday afternoon, Smith’s status was still in doubt. but the Flyers should still win this NIT opener.
TAKE DAYTON (+105).
Against the spread
PASS. This one sets up as a good money line-under combo.
Over/Under
The Under is 6-1 in the Rockets’ last seven home games. The Under is 3-1 across the Flyers’ last four true road games.
There is some in-state animosity between these two programs which have not met since 2009. Expect some high-energy defense with slow-down Dayton affecting the pace,
BANK ON THE UNDER 142.5 (-108).
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