Teams again looking to be in the thick of their respective conference races battle in the winner's bracket of the 2023 Myrtle Beach Invitational on Friday when the Vermont Catamounts take on the Saint Louis Billikens. The Catamounts (3-0), defending champions of the America East Conference, had won their first two games of the season by double digits, including a 92-41 win over SUNY-Plattsburgh on Saturday. After starting slow in the opening round game against Charleston on Thursday, trailing by as much as 15, Vermont stormed back to post a 73-64 win. The Billikens (4-0), who tied for second in the Atlantic 10 with Dayton and Fordham, have three wins by double digits and one by nine to start the year.
The game from HTC Center in Conway, S.C., will tip off at noon ET. Vermont is averaging 77.3 points per game, while Saint Louis averages 84. The Catamounts are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Vermont vs. Saint Louis odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 141.5. Before making any Saint Louis vs. Vermont picks, you need to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer simulation model.
The model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. It enters Week 2 of the 2023-24 season on an 87-56 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $1,700 for $100 players. Anyone who followed it saw huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Saint Louis vs. Vermont and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are several college basketball odds and betting lines for Vermont vs. Saint Louis:
- Vermont vs. Saint Louis spread: Vermont -4.5
- Vermont vs. Saint Louis over/under: 141.5 points
- Vermont vs. Saint Louis money line: Vermont -194, Saint Louis +162
- VT: The Catamounts were 1-4 on neutral courts in 2022-23
- STL: The Billikens are 3-2 on neutral courts since the start of last season
- Vermont vs. Saint Louis picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Saint Louis can cover
Senior forward Tim Dalger is coming off a season-high 17 points in Thursday's win over Wyoming. He also grabbed four rebounds and had three steals. For the year, he is averaging 11.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. He is in his first season with the Billikens after spending two years at Tulsa, and in 61 career games, he is averaging 7.6 points and 4.2 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Larry Hughes II may also find his minutes increased if Sincere Parker (ankle) is unable to go against Vermont. In 25 minutes against Wyoming, Hughes scored eight points, grabbed three rebounds and had two steals in the win. His most productive game this season was in the opener against Southern Indiana, when he scored 12 points and added three steals. In two seasons with the Billikens, he is averaging 3.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in 31 games played. See which team to pick here.
Why Vermont can cover
Junior guard TJ Long had a solid effort against College of Charleston on Thursday, pouring in 15 points, while grabbing seven rebounds in the come-from-behind win. For the season, he is averaging 15 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one steal per game. He is in his first season with the Catamounts after spending the past two years at Fairfield. Last season at Fairfield, he averaged 10.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Also helping power Vermont is junior guard Shamir Bogues. He was a big part of the Catamounts' win over Charleston, scoring 11 points, while grabbing seven rebounds, blocking two shots, dishing out three assists and making three steals. He had a season-high 19 points in the season-opening win over Merrimack. He is also in his first season with the Catamounts after spending three years at Tarleton State. See which team to pick here.
How to make Vermont vs. Saint Louis picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 145 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 80% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Saint Louis vs. Vermont, and which side of the spread hits in well over 80% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $1,700 on its college basketball picks dating back to last season, and find out.
