A pair of red hot teams clash when the Western Illinois Leathernecks take on the Central Arkansas Bears in non-conference action on Wednesday. The Leathernecks (6-6), who have won three in a row, defeated Eureka 92-56 on Monday. The Bears (3-9), who have won two straight, slipped past Eastern Illinois 73-70 in their last game on Dec. 10. Western Illinois is just 1-5 on the road this season, while Central Arkansas is 2-3 on its home court. Western Illinois leads the all-time series 2-0, including a 55-44 win in their last meeting in 2009.
Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. EST at the Farris Center in Conway, Ark. The Bears are 1-point favorites in the latest Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is set at 142. Before making any Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas picks, be sure to 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. It enters Week 7 of the 2023-24 season on a 100-63 roll on all top-rated college basketball picks dating back to last season, returning more than $2,000 for $100 players. It is also off to a sizzling 12-4 start on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas 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 Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas:
- Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas spread: Central Arkansas -1
- Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas over/under: 142 points
- Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas money line: Western Illinois -111, Central Arkansas -111
- WIU: The Leathernecks have hit the team total under in 12 of their last 15 away games (+8.65 units)
- CARK: The Bears have hit the team total under in 18 of their last 31 games (+3.05 units)
- Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Western Illinois can cover
Junior guard James Dent Jr. leads the Leathernecks, averaging 14.7 points, five rebounds and two assists per game. He has reached double-digit scoring in 10 games this season, including a season-high 24 points in an 88-80 overtime win over Southern. In that game, he hit 11 of 12 free throws and grabbed eight rebounds. He is coming off a 12-point, three-assist and three-rebound effort against Eureka.
Also off to a solid start to the season is junior guard Ryan Myers, a transfer from Iona. He has started 10 of 11 games this season, averaging 12.5 points, 2.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 26.6 minutes of action. He has scored 10 or more points in seven games, including a season-high 25 points in a 70-68 loss to South Dakota on Dec. 3. He scored 18 points, dished out six assists and grabbed two rebounds in a 68-59 win over Green Bay on Dec. 9. See which team to pick here.
Why Central Arkansas can cover
Freshman forward Tucker Anderson is off to a solid start to his collegiate career. In 11 games, including nine starts, he is averaging 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists and one steal per game. In the win over Eastern Illinois, he poured in 22 points, while grabbing five rebounds and adding five assists. He has reached double-figure scoring eight times this season, including a high of 23 at Hawaii on Dec. 3 in a 95-76 loss.
Junior guard Elias Cato is also off to a good start to the year, reaching 10 or more points in six games, including two double-doubles. In a 90-63 loss to Loyola Marymount on Nov. 29, Cato scored 15 points, while grabbing 10 rebounds. He had 14 points and 12 boards in an 82-39 win over Hendrix College on Nov. 10. For the season, he is averaging 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 assists in 28.8 minutes of action. See which team to pick here.
How to make Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the point total. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 50% of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas, and which side of the spread cashes in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Western Illinois vs. Central Arkansas spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,000 on its college basketball picks dating back to last season, and find out.