Halftime Report
LMU has overcome an early deficit to take the lead back in this one. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Belmont 37-25.
LMU entered the game with three straight defeats and they’re well on their way to making it four. Can they turn things around, or will Belmont hand them another loss? Only time will tell.
Who’s Playing
LMU Lions @ Belmont Bruins
Current Records: LMU 1-3, Belmont 4-1
How To Watch
What to Know
The LMU Lions will face off against the Belmont Bruins at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. Coming off a loss in a game the Lions were expected to win, they now face the more daunting task of proving themselves against unfavorable odds.
LMU is headed into Tuesday’s match looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Friday. They fell to North Dakota 77-73.
Alex Merkviladze put forth a good effort for the losing side as he earned 16 points in addition to eight rebounds and two steals. The team also got some help courtesy of Will Johnston, who posted 15 points.
Even though they lost, LMU smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve posted since back in January.
Meanwhile, Belmont had already won two in a row and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. They walked away with a 90-80 win over the Golden Eagles. The victory was all the more spectacular given the Bruins were down by 17 with 19:47 left in the second half.
Belmont’s success was spearheaded by the efforts of Tyler Lundblade, who went 7 for 9 en route to 25 points, and Jonathan Pierre, who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 11 rebounds.
LMU’s defeat dropped their record down to 1-3. As for Belmont, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: LMU has crashing the boards this season, having averaged 37.2 rebounds per game. However, it’s not like Belmont struggles in that department as they’ve been averaging 36.6. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we’ll see if one team can grab an edge.
Odds
Belmont is a slight 2-point favorite against LMU, according to the latest college basketball odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Bruins, as the game opened with the Bruins as a 0.5-point favorite.
The over/under is 149.5 points.
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