Teams trending in opposite directions meet when the UMBC Retrievers meet the Princeton Tigers in nonconference action on Monday night. The Retrievers (5-4), who tied for first in the America East Conference with Vermont at 10-4 and were 14-6 overall last season, have dropped two in a row, including a 100-71 decision at Georgetown on Wednesday. The Tigers (8-3), who placed third in the Ivy League at 9-5 and were 14-13 in 2019-20, the last time they competed prior to COVID-19, have won three in a row. Princeton is 5-0 on their home floor, while UMBC is 1-4 on the road.
Tipoff from Jadwin Gym in Princeton, N.J., is set for 6 p.m. ET. Princeton leads the all-time series 3-0, including a 68-56 win in their last meeting in 2003-04. The Tigers are seven-point favorites in the latest UMBC vs. Princeton odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 152.5. Before making any Princeton vs. UMBC picks, be sure to check out the college basketball predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every Division I college basketball game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of over $2,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Princeton vs. UMBC and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting trends for UMBC vs. Princeton:
- Princeton vs. UMBC spread: Princeton -7
- Princeton vs. UMBC over-under: 152.5 points
- PRIN: 5-5 ATS this season
- UMBC: 4-4 ATS this season
Why Princeton can cover
The Tigers have four players averaging in double figures, led by senior guard Jaelin Llewellyn. Llewellyn has scored 13 points or more in 10 of 11 games this season, including 13 in an 84-73 win over Lafayette on Saturday. He scored a season-high 24 points in an 81-77 loss at Hofstra on Dec. 1. For the season, he is averaging 15.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He is nearly automatic at the free throw line, connecting on 88.9 percent of his foul shots.
Junior forward Tosan Evbuomwan is also off to a fast start to the season, averaging 14 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He is connecting on 56 percent of his shots from the floor. He was held to nine points on Saturday, but has scored in double figures seven times, including a season-high 27 points in an 81-79 overtime win over Drexel on Dec. 4. He followed that up with a 16-point performance on Tuesday against Bucknell.
Why UMBC can cover
The Retrievers have just two players averaging double figures, but are balanced with nine players scoring five points or more per game. Senior guard Keondre Kennedy is tops on the team, averaging 14.3 points per game, as well as 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals. He is connecting on 49.5 percent of his field goals, including 43.6 percent of his 3-pointers, and is hitting 77.8 percent of his free throws. He scored a season-high 21 points in a 98-67 win over American on Nov. 23.
Senior guard Darnell Rogers has been on a roll, reaching double figures in seven of nine games, including each of the last five. His best game was a 23-point performance in a 91-75 win over Western Carolina on Nov. 19. He is coming off an 11-point, five-assist game at Georgetown on Wednesday. For the year, Rogers is averaging 12.8 points, four assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
How to make UMBC vs. Princeton picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 152 combined points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UMBC vs. Princeton? And which side of the spread hits in almost 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up over $2,200 on its college basketball picks the last five years, and find out.
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