The America East Tournament will come to an end early on Saturday — the UMass Lowell River Hawks will square off against the Vermont Catamounts for the conference title with a bid to the NCAA tournament on the line. The UMass Lowell-Vermont odds point to this play as a +ROI at DraftKings. For more UMass Lowell-Vermont predictions and college basketball bets, check out OddsShopper’s tools.
UMass Lowell-Vermont Odds, Prediction & Best Bet | Spread
UMass Lowell River Hawks vs. Vermont Catamounts (-4.5)
The UMass Lowell River Hawks can go dancing for the first time in program history with a road upset over the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, bettors who lean on the narrative and expect the River Hawks to win based on motivation alone are missing the bigger picture.
Vermont hasn’t handed opponents anything at home. They have gone a dominant 9-2-1 against the spread when listed as a home favorite and are 12-1 straight up on their home floor. Lowell has gone a solid 3-1 against the spread on the road but is only 9-7 straight up. They lost to Vermont on the road by 12 points back in February.
The Catamounts have cleaned up when favored at home by the books. Under head coach John Becker, they are a dominant 74-10 straight up when favored at home. They have gone an impressive 49-32-3 against the spread as a home favorite through that span, giving them a cover percentage of 60.5%.
Vermont also has momentum on its side. The Catamounts are on an impressive 14-game winning streak that dates back to a 15-point road loss to the River Hawks in mid-January. The Vermont team that took the floor for that game isn’t like the one that will take the floor this weekend — the Catamounts ranked 173rd in offensive efficiency through mid-January, but since then, they rank 27th in offensive efficiency.
There are plenty of other reasons to back Vermont, but their consistent greatness at home under Becker and their strong recent form are enough for me. Bettors can buy Vermont as a 5-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook at -110 (52%) — far less than the program’s cover percentage as a home favorite (60.5%) under Becker. Readers who are yet to register at DraftKings can score $150 in bonus bets after winning a $5 moneyline wager! Those in Massachusetts can get their bonus bets instantly!
UMass Lowell-Vermont Prediction: Vermont -5 (-110 for 0.25 Unit) at DraftKings
