A pair of teams on three-game winning streaks square off when Massachusetts hosts Davidson on Sunday in an Atlantic 10 Conference matchup. The Minutemen (5-3, 4-1 A-10) have been idle since easing to a 65-46 victory at Fordham last Sunday. Davidson (9-5, 5-2) also earned its third straight win at the expense of Fordham with a 73-58 win at home on Wednesday. The Wildcats throttled visiting UMass 85-50 last season.
Tip-off is scheduled for noon ET at the Mullins Center in Amherst, Mass. The Wildcats are 2.5-point favorites in the latest UMass vs. Davidson odds at William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 145. Before making any Davidson vs. UMass picks, check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The 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 $2,300 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Davidson vs. UMass. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for UMass vs. Davidson:
- UMass vs. Davidson spread: Wildcats -2.5
- UMass vs. Davidson over-under: 145 points
- UMass vs. Davidson money line: Davidson -145, UMass +125
- UMASS: Sophomore center Tre Mitchell has scored in double figures in 31 straight games
- DAV: The Wildcats have won all three road games this season
Why UMass can cover
Tre Mitchell was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year last season and has continued to elevate his game during his sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound center averages a team-high 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 53.5 percent from the floor. Mitchell is on pace to become the fifth player in school history to reach 1,000 points in his first two seasons, a list that includes Julius Erving.
Prior to the winning streak, the Minutemen surrendered 93 points each in back-to-back home losses to Bryant and George Mason. Coach Matt McCall pointed to the on-ball defense of guards Noah Fernandes and Javohn Garcia, who average 1.9 and 1.6 steals, respectively, as the reason for the improvement. UMass has surrendered an average of 63.7 points over the last three games.
Why Davidson can cover
The Wildcats nearly shattered a school record, shooting 72.1 percent from the floor in routing UMass a year ago. Their top three scorers -- guards Kellan Grady and Carter Collins and forward Hyunjung Lee -- are averaging a combined 44.8 points and have accounted for 97 of the team's conference-leading 132 3-pointers. The trio's 3-point total was more than 231 schools entering the weekend.
Grady tied his career high with seven 3-pointers vs. Fordham and also scored a team-best 19 points against the Minutemen last season. Despite the prowess from long range, Davidson represents more than just a perimeter-oriented attack. The Wildcats have outrebounded their opponents in 13 of 14 games and own a plus-7.8 margin on the boards.
How to make Davidson vs. UMass picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting both teams to combine for 151 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that is hitting in nearly 60 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UMass vs. Davidson? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? 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.
