The Richmond Spiders (4-0) visit Morgantown, W. Va., to take on the West Virginia Mountaineers (5-1) Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. ET at WVU Coliseum. Below, we analyze the Richmond-West Virginia college basketball betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
West Virginia is No. 10 in the Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll powered by USA TODAY Sports. Richmond is 19th.
Richmond at West Virginia: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:25 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Richmond +280 (bet $100 to win $280) | West Virginia -360 (bet $360 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Richmond +7.5 (-110) | West Virginia -7.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 148 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Richmond at West Virginia: Three things to know
- West Virginia’s only loss this season was against No. 1-ranked Gonzaga (Dec. 2). WVU has bounced back with two wins; the most recent of those was a 62-50 triumph over North Texas Friday afternoon.
- The Spiders are ranked in the top-25 for the first time since 2010. Dating back to last season, Richmond has won eight straight games. That stretch includes a win against then-No. 9 Kentucky at Rupp Arena Nov. 29.
- Richmond is loaded with returning veteran talent from a 24-7 team a year ago and is adept at protecting the basketball. G Blake Francis and G Jacob Gilyard — both seniors — have combined to crank out 37 assists against just 12 turnovers through the team’s first four games.
Richmond at West Virginia: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
West Virginia 73, Richmond 69
Money line (ML)
A veteran Richmond side is the lean, but pricing nixes an ML effort. Something in the +350 range would bring some value into the equation.
Against the spread (ATS)
The process underpinning West Virginia’s victories against Western Kentucky, Georgetown, and North Texas leave some doubt as to how the Mountaineers will control this one into a 3-score cushion. The antidote to WVU’s high-pressure (“Press Virginia”) defense is a cohesive, veteran rotation, and Richmond figures to bring that to the floor. At least enough so to manage a game closer to level or a 4-to-5-point deficit.
The Spiders have had a couple of days of rest on what could well be a fatigued Mountaineer five which has played a competitive schedule with a decent amount of travel so far.
BACK RICHMOND +7.5 (-110).
Over/Under (O/U)
This game spells a lot of balance, on both sides, and with types of offense and pace. The figure here makes for a slight LEAN ON THE UNDER 148 (-110). Tread lightly, as its a well-made number.
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