The Murray State Racers will try to build on their upset win over No. 24 Texas A&M when they face the Massachusetts Minutemen in the semifinals of the 2022 Myrtle Beach Invitational on Friday afternoon. Murray State had not taken down a ranked team in a decade prior to its 88-79 win over the Aggies on Thursday. UMass is coming off an upset win of its own, beating Colorado as a 5.5-point underdog.
Caesars Sportsbook lists the Minutemen as 1.5-point favorites for this 2:30 p.m. ET tip. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 148.5 in the latest Murray State vs. UMass odds. Before making any UMass vs. Murray State 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. Over the past six years, the proprietary computer model has generated an impressive profit of more than $1,200 for $100 players on its top-rated college basketball picks against the spread.
Now, the model has set its sights on UMass vs. Murray State and just locked in its picks and CBB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball odds and betting lines for UMass vs. Murray State:
- UMass vs. Murray State spread: UMass -1.5
- UMass vs. Murray State over/under: 148.5 points
- UMass vs. Murray State money line: UMass -125, Murray State +105
- UMass vs. Murray State picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Murray State can cover
Murray State had not beaten a ranked team in a decade, making its 88-79 upset win over No. 24 Texas A&M that much more special. The Racers had four transfers score in double figures, led by JaCobi Wood's 23 points. Kenny White Jr. scored 18 points, Jamari Smith had 17 and Rob Perry added 12.
The Racers are playing in their second stint under head coach Steve Prohm, who saw his team shoot 10 of 22 from beyond the arc in the win. UMass was not quite as impressive in its win, as it benefited from a terrible shooting day from Colorado. The Buffaloes knocked down just 6 of 25 from 3-point range and made 53.8% of their attempts from the charity stripe.
Why UMass can cover
Murray State looked fantastic against Texas A&M on Thursday, but the Racers also lost to Saint Louis in a blowout last week. UMass is led by veteran guard Noah Fernandes, who scored 22 points in the upset win over Colorado. Freshman RJ Luis added a spark as well, scoring 18 points in just his third collegiate game.
First-year head coach Frank Martin has proven his ability to get the most out of his players, and it has shown up again early this season. He has a trio of players averaging double figures thus far, led by 12 each from Fernandes and senior forward Isaac Kante. Murray State is more likely to suffer from an emotional hangover on Friday, as its win came as a double-digit underdog over a ranked opponent.
How to make Murray State vs. UMass picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 150 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations. You can see the picks here.
So who wins UMass vs. Murray State? And which side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college basketball picks, and find out.
