The first automatic bid for the 2022 NCAA Tournament will be secured on Saturday night, as the Morehead State Eagles and Murray State Racers battle for the Ohio Valley Conference championship. Murray State enters the favorite thanks to a spectacular season, but Morehead State has the potential to surprise some with their quality as well. In our college basketball betting picks for Saturday night, we look at the Ohio Valley Conference championship game and give our best bet for this Morehead State vs Murray State matchup.
Morehead State vs Murray State FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code
New bettors at FanDuel Sportsbook can get a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000 on this Morehead State vs Murray State game!
FanDuel Sportsbook‘s new customers can take advantage of a risk-free bet worth up to $1,000 when betting on Morehead State vs Murray State. To take advantage of this offer, bettors can place their first wager with FanDuel on the OVC championship game. If that bet wins, they will receive their profits and continue on as normal. If it loses, FanDuel will provide up to $1,000 in site credit to reimburse for that loss.
Morehead State vs Murray State Betting Pick
This game will be played at 8:30 PM ET at the Ford Center on Saturday, March 5, 2022.
Why Bet On Morehead State:
✅ Morehead State has been competitive with Murray State this season, losing to the Racers by an average of 7.5 points per game in their two meetings during the regular season. In a neutral site game, Morehead State should benefit from a lack of home court advantage and should be able to keep this game relatively close.
✅ Philosophically, Murray State is going to be a very popular bet going into this game, as they are undefeated in league play and are more of a name brand than Morehead State. Backing the Eagles here is a strong contrarian play, as the betting public will flock to a Murray State squad that looks so much better on paper.
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✅ Pressure in conference championship games tends to benefit the underdog. Murray State comes into this game knowing that a loss renders their brilliant season worthless, while Morehead State can play like it has nothing to lose knowing that it can only improve its season in this contest. Expect Morehead State to play freely, while Murray State could experience some nerves early and late.
Morehead State Eagles
The Morehead State Eagles have played inspired basketball to get to the Ohio Valley Conference championship game. They blew out Tennessee Tech in their tournament opener, before winning a tight game against Belmont to reach tonight’s final. While the win over Belmont will be seen as an upset by many, Morehead State is right up there with the Bruins as one of the top teams in this conference, and they could give Murray State a scare as well.
For Morehead State to win this game, they will need to defend the three-point line effectively. Murray State’s three-point shooting helped them cruise in Friday’s semifinal round, and a similar performance from the perimeter could doom Morehead State in this game. The Eagles have to give their all on the defensive end, and hope that they can grind out another win by limiting the Racers’ three-point barrage.
Murray State Racers
Murray State has played just one game in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, beating Southeast Missouri State by 14 to reach the final. The game was not as close as the final score indicated, as the Racers jumped out to a huge lead and were able to coast for the majority of the second half. In this game, the Racers will expect a much tougher contest with a tournament bid on the line.
Murray State enters this game with a top-25 ranking, so they should not have to worry about making the tournament even if they lose this game. But the selection committee would likely make their lives miserable if they were to drop this contest, putting them in a much worse seeding situation. The Racers will need their three-point shots to fall like they did in the semifinals if they are going to avoid having to deal with that situation.