The visiting Western Illinois Leathernecks hope to send their backers to the pay window on Saturday as they look to cover the spread at IUPUI Gymnasium against the IUPUI Jaguars.

IUPUI battles the Leathernecks, currently sitting with a 16-5 mark (11-5-1 ATS). The OVER/UNDER records, always important for totals bettors, are 8-7-1 for the Jaguars and 7-7 for the Leathernecks.



View Western Illinois vs IUPUI Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
On the Sportsbook NCAA basketball line for this matchup, IUPUI sat as 6.5-point underdogs over at Sportsbook. Also, check out the current total, which often goes up first at online sportsbook Sportsbook.

Power Rankings / Prediction:
The Odds Shark Power Rankings have the Jaguars at No. 337 and the Leathernecks at No. 201 heading into this contest. Handicapping models at Odds Shark project a 73-55 result in favor of the Leathernecks.



How They Match Up:
Scoring and defensive stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features IUPUI's No. 173-ranked scoring average of 67.7 PPG, against a Leathernecks defense rated No. 4 and allowing 52.2 PPG. The Jaguars FG% has averaged 44.4% to date this season, less than the Leathernecks shooters have managed so far (46.8% per game).

Comparing how these foes stack up statistically, Western Illinois owns the country's No. 5-rated mark, allowing 55.7 points per game on the highway. IUPUI, on the other hand, rates No. 224 in scoring at home.

Western Illinois lost its last outing, a 67-60 result against Oakland on January 26. They failed to cover in that game as a 3-point underdog. The Leathernecks got 16 points from Remy Roberts-Burnett, but it was Oakland that prevailed in a 67-60 final on Saturday at Athletics Center.

IUPUI lost its last outing, an 80-79 result against IUPU Fort Wayne on January 26. They covered in that game as an 8.5-point underdog. The Jaguars wasted a 25-point performance from Mitchell Patton in losing to IUPU Fort Wayne 80-79 on Saturday at Memorial Coliseum.

Next up:
Western Illinois home to Nebraska Omaha, Thursday, February 7
IUPUI home to Nebraska Omaha, Saturday, February 9