The Liberty Flames look for their second consecutive win when they battle the East Carolina Pirates in the first game of the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Shootout at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Friday. The Flames (6-4), who rank third in the country in scoring defense, allowing 54.4 points per game, are coming off a 95-36 win over Carver College on Monday. Liberty's four opponents they have lost to this year, have a combined record of 32-7. The Pirates (8-2), who are riding a four-game winning streak, are back in action after a 10-day break.
Tipoff is set for 1:30 p.m. ET. ECU leads the all-time series 5-3, but Liberty has won the last three meetings. The Flames are three-point favorites in the latest Liberty vs. East Carolina odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 128. Before locking in any East Carolina vs. Liberty picks, make sure you check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,400 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 Liberty vs. ECU and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for Incarnate ECU vs. Liberty:
- Liberty vs. East Carolina spread: Liberty -3
- Liberty vs. East Carolina over-under: 128 points
- LIB: The Under is 5-1 in the Flames' last six Friday games
- ECU: The Pirates are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games following an ATS win
Why Liberty can cover
The Flames have been one of the nation's winningest programs over the last three years, earning 88 wins, which is third-most in the country. Senior guard Darius McGhee powers the offense, scoring in double figures in nine of 10 games, including six games scoring 20 or more points. His best output was a 27-point effort in a 59-51 win over Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 23. For the season, he is averaging 18.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game.
Senior guard Keegan McDowell is also a big part of the Liberty offense, averaging 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He is connecting on 50.7 percent of his field goals, including 47.3 percent from 3-point range, and is a 90 percent free-throw shooter. He has scored in double figures in seven games this year, already the most in a single season for McDowell during his collegiate career. His best game was an 18-point performance in a 96-60 victory over Delaware State on Dec. 6.
Why East Carolina can cover
The Pirates have four players averaging nine points or better, led by redshirt sophomore guard Tristen Newton, who scored 14 points in the 82-71 win over North Carolina A&T on Dec. 7. He has reached double-figure scoring in all 10 games, including a 30-point performance in a 95-79 victory over Western Carolina on Nov. 14. He had 28 points in a 76-67 loss to Davidson on Nov. 21. For the season, Newton averages 17.8 points, 5.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He is nearly automatic at the free-throw line, connecting on 86.7 percent of his foul shots.
Redshirt sophomore forward Brandon Suggs is also off to a good start to the season, averaging 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals. He is connecting on 45.3 percent of his field goals and 75.5 percent of his free throws. Suggs has reached double-figure scoring in three of his last four games, including a 25-point effort against Coppin State in a 70-68 win on Nov. 27. For his career, he averages 9.2 points per game in 59 games, including 43 starts.
How to make ECU vs. Liberty picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting 138 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Liberty vs. East Carolina? And which side of the spread hits in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $2,400 on its college basketball picks the last five years, and find out.
