NC Central vs. Morgan State Best Bet and Prediction for Monday, March 4
By Joe Summers
The NC Central Eagles (16-11) play their final road game of the regular season Monday, taking on the Morgan State Bears (9-19) just one game outside of first place in the MId-Eastern Conference.
NC Central brings a three-game winning streak into the contest while Morgan State has lost four straight, giving the Eagles' hot offense a big edge. The Bears snagged a 79-72 road victory last month over the Eagles, so this is a critical revenge spot for NC Central as well.
With at least 81 points in three straight games, the Eagles are rolling and strong road favorites as a result. Let's take a look at the odds then break the matchup down and get my best bet below.
NC Central vs. Morgan State Odds, Spread and Total
NC Central vs. Morgan State Best Bet and Prediction
The Eagles are 6.5-point favorites with -295 odds on the moneyline and a total set at 148.5 and there are a lot of reasons to trust them to pick up a fourth straight win and fifth straight cover. Their offense is rolling, getting contributions from unlikely sources to unlock new heights.
Keishon Porter stepped into a larger role in the last three games, averaging over 18 points per game in that stretch. Po'Boigh King put up 34 points against Delaware State last week and Fred Cleveland Jr. had 25 in the same game, giving NC Central three additional scorers to support Ja'Darius Harris, who leads the team in scoring at 15.3 points per game.
NC Central’s Po’Boigh King had a season-high 34 points in last night’s win.
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) February 27, 2024
This is his 13th time scoring 15 or more on the season for @NCCU_MBB
The 6-4 sophomore is averaging 18.2 points & 5.7 rebounds on 44.9% 3P in MEAC play. https://t.co/3873kaCwoe pic.twitter.com/U35yCDiAXR
That diversified offense should give the Bears fits. Morgan State ranks 302nd nationally in opponent effective field goal percentage (52.9%) and 335th in opponent free throw rate (41.6%), so NC Central will have plenty of opportunities to put up points. The Eagles are 28th in free throw rate (39.7%), so I anticipate quite a few trips to the charity stripe.
The Bears struggle offensively as well. They're 342nd in turnover percentage (20.8%), so the Eagles can generate points in transition off turnovers with relative ease. In the first meeting between these teams, NC Central made just 11 of 20 free throws and shot 39.7% from the field. Provided they don't have another miserable shooting night, it should be a comfortable win for the visitors.
NC Central is 7-2 against the spread in their last nine games and 5-2 in their previous seven against Morgan State. The Eagles are getting hot at the right time and their good fortune will continue tonight.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.