The Youngstown State Penguins and Detroit Titans will begin Horizon League play in college basketball on Friday afternoon. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Beeghly Center in Youngstown. The Penguins (4-9) are favored by 1.5 over the Titans (3-9) with the total set at 150 in the latest Youngstown State vs. Detroit odds. Before picking either side for this conference matchup, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say with its Youngstown State vs. Detroit picks and predictions.
This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has raked in the winnings for those following its picks. Over the past two years, the SportsLine Projection Model has returned over $5,200 to $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks. And it enters Week 8 of the 2018-19 college basketball season on a blistering 21-6 run on its top-rated picks against the spread. Anybody who has been following it is way, way up.
Now the model takes aim at this conference matchup and has locked in a pick against the spread for Youngstown State-Detroit that's hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. You absolutely need to see it before you lock in your own picks.
For Youngstown State, one of the big keys on Friday will be finding a way to take advantage of the rebounding edge they've held this season. The Penguins aren't a big lineup, with just one player taller than 6-foot-9 (Olamide Pederson) in their regular nine-man rotation. However, they attack the glass aggressively and hold a +45 rebounding advantage in 13 games so far this season.
In particular, Youngstown State attacks the offensive boards hard, averaging over 15 offensive rebounds per game to help extend possessions and provide additional scoring opportunities. Against a similarly small Detroit lineup, dominance on the boards would go a long way towards covering as home favorites.
However, Detroit will be looking to kick off conference play right, and the Titans won't be making things easy for Youngstown State.
So far this season, freshman guard Antoine Davis has been the story for Detroit. He's the son of coach Mike Davis, the former Indiana and UAB coach. Chances are, the younger Davis will be the focal point both teams' game plans on Friday afternoon.
Davis rarely leaves the floor for the Titans, averaging 37 minutes per game, and with good reason. He scores an incredible 26 points per game and is proving to be one of the most exciting small-major players in the nation. Davis shoots an impressive 41 percent from beyond the arc and averages five 3-pointers per game, and if he can have a huge day on Friday it will give Detroit a great chance to cover on the road.
Who wins Youngstown State vs. Detroit? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Youngstown State-Detroit spread you should be all over, from the model that has returned more than $5,000 to $100 players the last two years, and find out.
