Who's Playing
Western Illinois Leathernecks @ Lindenwood Lions
Current Records: Western Illinois 7-5, Lindenwood 5-7
How To Watch
- When: Saturday, December 21, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Robert F. Hyland Arena -- Saint Charles, Missouri
- TV: ESPN Plus
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online Streaming: Catch select College Basketball matches on Fubo (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $28.00
What to Know
We've got another exciting Ohio Valley matchup on schedule as the Western Illinois Leathernecks and the Lindenwood Lions are set to tip at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Robert F. Hyland Arena. The Leathernecks will be strutting in after a win while the Lions will be stumbling in from a defeat.
Western Illinois took a loss when they played away from home on Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. It was close, but they ultimately received the gift of a 71-68 victory from a begrudging Leathernecks squad. Having forecasted a close win for they, the oddsmakers were right on the money.
Meanwhile, Lindenwood entered their game against Tennessee Tech on Thursday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. Lindenwood took a 79-73 hit to the loss column at the hands of Tennessee Tech. The Lions have struggled against the Golden Eagles recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost matchup.
Even though they lost, Lindenwood smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 11 offensive rebounds in five consecutive contests.
Western Illinois' victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-5. As for Lindenwood, their loss ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 5-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Western Illinois has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 37 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Lindenwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 36.9. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Western Illinois is hoping to beat the odds on Saturday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. They are a gamble against the spread as they sit with a 3-6 ATS record.
Odds
Lindenwood is a 3.5-point favorite against Western Illinois, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Lions, as the game opened with the Lions as a 2-point favorite.
The over/under is 136.5 points.
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Series History
Western Illinois has won both of the games they've played against Lindenwood in the last 0 years.
- Feb 01, 2024 - Western Illinois 79 vs. Lindenwood 71
- Jan 06, 2024 - Western Illinois 68 vs. Lindenwood 57