Towson Tigers vs Utah Utes Prediction, Odds, Best Bets - Week 1
Utah needed every minute to beat Long Beach State by 3 at home, and Towson outrebounded Santa Clara in a road loss. In a game totaled at 141.5, 10.5 points is a lot to lay.
The Matchup
Towson visits Utah on Thursday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City, with Utah a 10.5-point favorite, a total of 141.5, on ESPN+. Utah finished 10-22 last season, scoring 69.9 points a game and allowing 79.9. Towson finished 19-15, scoring 66.8 and allowing 66.3. Those are last season's numbers, and both rosters look different now.
Utah's opener was a narrow escape at home. The Utes beat Long Beach State 66-63 behind Trey Campbell, who played 37 minutes and finished with 20 points, 8 assists and 4 steals. Jackson Holcombe added 14 points with 8 rebounds, and Malek Gomma grabbed 11 rebounds. But Utah shot 5-of-17 from three, 9-of-19 at the line, and committed 15 turnovers.
Towson's opener was a loss with a usable lesson in it. The Tigers lost 89-70 at Santa Clara but outrebounded the Broncos 41-38, with 18 offensive rebounds. Jaquan Womack had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Zion Stanford scored 15, and Chike Ndefo grabbed 8 rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. The shooting was poor, at 7-of-25 from three and 17-of-28 at the line, but the glass work is real.
Key Factors
The total is the argument. At 141.5, a 10.5-point margin is a huge share of all the points that will be scored, and Towson is a defensive, rebounding team that can drag a game into the 60s. Extra possessions from offensive rebounds are worth more in a slow game, and Womack plus Ndefo give Towson two ways to earn them.
Utah's dependence on Campbell is the other worry for the favorite. He played 37 of 40 minutes and led Utah in points, assists and steals, and the rest of the Utes' offense was quiet. If Towson makes him work defensively and keeps the ball out of his hands late, Utah has to find scoring it did not show on Monday.
The counterpoint is Towson's own shooting. The Tigers shot poorly from three and from the line at Santa Clara, and a team that cannot make free throws cannot close a gap late. Utah at altitude, at home, with Campbell running the show, can win this game comfortably. The bet is that Towson's rebounding and defense keep the margin single digits even if its shots do not fall.
Utah's opener was a struggle at home, and its offense ran through one player for almost the entire game, while Towson can win possessions on the glass and keep the score low. In a low-total game, that is the profile that keeps an underdog inside the number. Take the points with Towson Tigers +10.5 at -110.
Game Information
| Date | Thursday (11/5) |
|---|---|
| Start Time | 8:00 PM CT |
| How to Watch | ESPN+ |
| Venue | Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City |
| Spread | Utah Utes -10.5 |
| Total | 141.5 |
| Moneyline | Utah Utes -535 |
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