Robert Morris Colonials vs UIC Flames Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1

UIC scored 96 points and gave up 47 in its opener. Robert Morris scored 49 and gave up 86 in its. Friday night in Chicago asks whether either opener was telling the truth.

The Matchup

Robert Morris visits UIC on Friday night at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, on ESPN+, with UIC an 11.5-point favorite and a total of 143.5. The Horizon League visitor and the Missouri Valley host are both one game into the season, and their openers could hardly have looked more different.

Last season Robert Morris finished 22-11, scoring 77.4 points a game and allowing 72.1. UIC finished 19-16, scoring 75.5 and allowing 70.6. With one game played each, the longer view is still last season's.

The openers are the freshest evidence, and they point one way. UIC beat St. Francis (IL) 96-47 at home, scoring 60 points in the paint with 22 assists against only 9 turnovers. Robert Morris lost 86-49 at Nevada, shooting 27 percent on 13-of-49 from the field with 6 assists and 19 turnovers. One team looked organized. The other looked overwhelmed.

Key Factors

UIC's balance is the argument. Mekhi Lowery scored 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting with 7 rebounds and 4 steals against St. Francis, Jayce Nathaniel added 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Ahmad Henderson II scored 13 with 3 three-pointers. Rashund Washington Jr. chipped in 15 points and 4 assists. When the home team scores from that many places and defends the paint the way UIC did, the visitor has to be sharp just to stay in contact, and nothing in Robert Morris' opener suggests sharpness.

Robert Morris' problem is basic shot creation. The Colonials managed 6 assists against 19 turnovers at Nevada, and their leading scorer, KJ Garris Jr., got his 16 points mostly at the line, going 9-of-9 on free throws but 3-of-8 from the field. Ta'Zir Smith added 9 points on 3-of-11 shooting. A team that cannot generate clean looks on the road, playing its second straight road game to open the season after the trip to Nevada, walks into another hostile building with the same problem it had on Monday.

The counterpoint is honest, and it starts with the opponent UIC just routed. St. Francis (IL) is a lower-division team, so the Flames' 49-point win proves organization more than quality.

Robert Morris won 22 games last season and defends better than it showed at Nevada, and if the Colonials slow the pace, get Garris to the line early, and turn this into a half-court grind, 11.5 points is a lot to cover in a game with a 143.5 total. The bet is that a visitor this careless with the ball gives away too many possessions in Chicago to keep the margin respectable.

Every pick is published with its line before the game. Odds via consensus sportsbooks at time of writing and move constantly. Must be 21+. If gambling is a problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.