The Dayton Flyers are vying for a sweep of the season series when they host the surging Saint Louis Billikens on Friday in an Atlantic 10 Conference matchup. The Flyers (11-7, 7-6 A-10) have dropped two straight to fall back in the conference title chase but they have won their last six meetings at home against the Billikens (11-3, 4-2). Winners of four in a row, Saint Louis aims to avenge a five-point loss to Dayton last month.
Tip-off is at 7 p.m. ET at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. William Hill Sportsbook lists the Billikens as 5.5-point favorites while the over-under for total points scored is 136.5 in the latest Saint Louis vs. Dayton odds. Before making any Dayton vs. Saint Louis 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 $2,200 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 Saint Louis vs. Dayton. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds and trends for Dayton vs. Saint Louis:
- Saint Louis vs. Dayton spread: Saint Louis -5.5
- Saint Louis vs. Dayton over-under: 136.5 points
- Saint Louis vs. Dayton money line: Saint Louis -230; Dayton +190
- STL: Billikens G Jordan Goodwin has 11 double-doubles in 14 games
- DAY: Flyers G Ibi Watson averages 18.7 points in his last three games
Why Dayton can cover
Senior guard Jalen Crutcher eclipsed 20 points for the ninth time over the last 15 games in the loss at Rhode Island to boost his team-leading total to 18.9 points per game. He knocked down five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points in the first meeting with St. Louis, including 14 over the last four minutes of the game. Crutcher is averaging 6.2 assists over the past five games.
Freshman forward Zimi Nwokeji had been invisible over a four-game stretch, accounting for five total points and going scoreless in back-to-back contests. He broke out of the slump with a vengeance, erupting for 29 points at URI -- one shy of the school freshman record. Their home dominance in the series aside, the Flyers also have won three in a row overall against the Billikens after sweeping the two-game set last season.
Why Saint Louis can cover
Senior guard Javonte Perkins, the team's leading scorer at 17.9 points per game, struggled with his shot coming out of the lengthy COVID-19 layoff, shooting 12 of 33 overall and missing all seven 3-point attempts. He still scored a team-high 20 points against the Flyers. Perkins has picked it up at the offensive end during the winning streak, averaging 18.8 points and shooting 16 of 24 in the past two games.
Saint Louis has turned up the defense during its winning streak, surrendering an average of only 54.0 points. It marks the first time the Billikens have limited opponents to 60 points or fewer in four straight A-10 games since the 2011-12 season. Burly forward Hasahn French has scored a combined 22 points over the past five games but netted a season-high 16 against Dayton last month.
How to make Saint Louis vs. Dayton picks
The model is leaning over on the total, projecting both teams combine for 145 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that is hitting in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Saint Louis vs. Dayton? And which side of the spread hits in over 50 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.
