The UMass Lowell River Hawks can earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history when they square off against the top-seeded Vermont Catamounts in the 2023 America East Tournament championship game on Saturday at Patrick Gym in Burlington, Vt. The River Hawks have been a Div. I program since only the 2013-14 season and have been eligible to play in the NCAA Tournament since only the 2017-18 season but have failed to do so. In order to reach the tournament, UMass Lowell (26-7) will have to knock off a Vermont program that has been to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including last season.
Tipoff is set for 11 a.m. ET. The Catamounts are favored by 5.5 points in the latest Vermont vs. UMass Lowell odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over/under for total points scored is 141. Before making any UMass Lowell vs. Vermont picks, you need to 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. The model enters conference tournament week 76-51 on all-top rated college basketball picks this season, returning nearly $1,200 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Vermont vs. UMass Lowell 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 lines and trends for UMass Lowell vs. Vermont:
- Vermont vs. UMass Lowell spread: Catamounts -5
- Vermont vs. UMass Lowell over/under: 141 points
- Vermont vs. UMass Lowell money line: Catamounts -225, River Hawks +185
- VER: Robin Duncan ranks fourth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.33)
- UML: The River Hawks lead the conference in scoring defense (65.8 points per game)
- Vermont vs. UMass Lowell picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Vermont Catamounts vs. UMass Lowell River Hawks
Why the Catamounts can cover
Vermont enters the game on a roll. The Catamounts have won 14 straight games and have outscored opponents by 15.8 points per game over that stretch. Just four of those games were decided by nine points or fewer. That stretch includes a 12-point win over UMass Lowell in Burlington on Feb. 11.
In addition, Vermont has an all-around playmaker in Robin Duncan. The 6-foot-5 guard from Evansville, Ind., leads the team in rebounding (7.3 per game) and assists (4.5). For his efforts this season he was named to the all-America East first team.
Why the River Hawks can cover
UMass Lowell is the conference’s top defensive team. The River Hawks allow just 65.8 points per game, which is the fewest in the America East. Max Brooks, a member of the conference’s All-Defensive team, blocks a league-best 1.8 shots per game.
In addition, UMass Lowell is playing some of its best ball of the season. The River Hawks have won six games in a row and 10 of their last 11. Over their last six games, they have outscored teams by 18.7 points per game.
How to make Vermont vs. UMass Lowell picks
We can tell you that the model is leaning Over the total, predicting a combined 146 points, and it also has generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in over 60% of simulations. You can get the model’s pick only at SportsLine.
So who wins UMass Lowell vs. Vermont? And which side of the spread hits in more than 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vermont vs. UMass Lowell spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned almost $1,200 on its college basketball picks the last five-plus years, and find out.
Read the full article here