Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky prediction, odds, time: 2023 CBI Tournament final picks, bets by proven model
The 2023 College Basketball Invitational (CBI) comes to a close on Wednesday evening. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels take on the Charlotte 49ers with the tournament title on the line in Daytona Beach, Florida. The matchup is set for Ocean Center, with Eastern Kentucky entering at 23-13 after a semifinal win over Southern Utah. Charlotte is 21-14 overall and 7-3 in the last 10 games after defeating Radford in the semifinal.
Tip-off is at 5 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Charlotte as a 5.5-point favorite, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 134 in the latest Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky odds. Before you make any Eastern Kentucky vs. Charlotte picks, be sure to see the college basketball predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. The model enters this week 83-54 on all top-rated college basketball picks this season, returning more than $1,500 for $100 players. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Eastern Kentucky vs. Charlotte. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college basketball odds for Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky:
- Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky spread: Charlotte -5.5
- Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky over/under: 134 points
- Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky money line: Charlotte -225, EKU +185
- CLT: The 49ers are 7-2 against the spread in the last nine games
- EKU: The Colonels have covered the spread in five straight games
- Charlotte vs. Eastern Kentucky picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Charlotte can cover
Charlotte was the best shooting team in Conference USA this season. The 49ers shot 37.5% from 3-point range in conference play and also converted almost 53% of shot attempts inside the arc. Charlotte also excels in ball security, committing a turnover on fewer than 17% of offensive possessions. Eastern Kentucky is poor on the defensive glass, grabbing fewer than 71% of available rebounds, and Charlotte is elite on the other end with a 75.7% defensive rebound rate.
The 49ers are also in the top 20 of the country in free throw rate allowed and opponents shoot only 49.7% from 2-point range against Charlotte. Charlotte yields only 9.6 assists per game, and the 49ers should benefit from Eastern Kentucky's shortcomings on offense. The Colonels are making fewer than 66% of free throw attempts this season, and Eastern Kentucky is well below the national average in free throw creation rate, 2-point accuracy, and 3-point accuracy.
Why Eastern Kentucky can cover
Eastern Kentucky is rolling on offense in the CBI Tournament. The Colonels are averaging 96 points per game, and Eastern Kentucky shot 51% from the field with only nine turnovers in a marathon win over Southern Utah on Tuesday. Senior forward Isaiah Cozart is on a personal heater after a semifinal game in which he scored 31 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots. Earlier in the tournament, Cozart produced 20 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks in a win over Cleveland State, and he is peaking at the right time.
Elsewhere, junior guard Devontae Blanton leads the team with more than 17 points per game, and he has scored at least 22 points in each of the last four games. That includes a 32-point outburst in a quarterfinal win over Indiana State. Eastern Kentucky also secures more than 33% of available rebounds on the offensive glass, and the Colonels commit a turnover on fewer than 17% of offensive possessions, boosting overall efficiency by ensuring shots get to the rim.
How to make Eastern Kentucky vs. Charlotte picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 142 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
