Florida Gulf Coast vs Cleveland State CBI Semifinal Prediction & Picks

With the NCAA Tournament on pause until Thursday, the other college basketball postseason tournaments get the spotlight for a couple of days. In addition to NIT quarterfinal action taking place tonight and tomorrow, the College Basketball Invitational is wrapping up at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. And in the second of tonight’s semifinal matchups, Florida Gulf Coast will take on Cleveland State (9:00 pm ET, ESPNU).

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In the first semifinal, Illinois State will meet Incarnate Word (7:00 pm ET, ESPNU), with the winner moving on to face either the Eagles (19-14) or Vikings (22-12) in the championship game tomorrow (5:00 pm ET, ESPN2).

In yesterday’s quarterfinals, Florida Gulf Coast defeated Army 68-65, while Cleveland State thwarted an all-ASUN semifinal by defeating Queens 88-73 behind big games by Tahj Staveskie (29 points) and Dylan Arnett (20 points, six rebounds).

While this matchup certainly won’t move the needle nationally, there are some betting options worth diving into if you are looking to have some action on tonight’s college basketball odds.

Florida Gulf Coast vs Cleveland State Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline.

Spread

• Florida Gulf Coast +5.5 (-108)
• Cleveland State -5.5 (-112)

Total

• Over 137.5 (-110)
• Under 137.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Florida Gulf Coast +210
• Cleveland State -250

Florida Gulf Coast vs Cleveland State Betting Trends

• Cleveland State is 8-4 SU and 7-5 ATS when favored by six or fewer points this season, including 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five such games.
• In Cleveland State games this season in which the total has been 140 or lower, the under is 10-8.
• Florida Gulf Coast is 3-8 SU and 6-5 ATS as an underdog this season.
• The Eagles are 1-3 SU and ATS this season as an underdog of six or fewer points.
• In Florida Gulf Coast games this season in which the total has been 140 or lower, the over is 7-5.

Florida Gulf Coast vs Cleveland State Prediction & Picks

Across the first two days of the CBI, over bettors would have turned a tidy profit by betting on every game. The only under was in Florida Gulf Coast’s 68-65 win over Army yesterday, which fell well below a total that was in the 150s.

The first semifinal between Illinois State and Incarnate Word profiles as a potential over, and so does this matchup.

The same reason should be central to the outcome of the total in both games. Both ISU and UIW shoot the three well but defend it poorly, and while neither team in this matchup shoots it as well as those two teams, neither defends it well.

Florida Gulf Coast is second in the ASUN in field goal percentage (47.0%), and they shoot a respectable 35.4% from outside, which ranks 98^th in Division I.

By comparison, opponents shoot 35.1% from three against the Eagles, which is 284^th in the country. That is especially notable when they are tied for 310^th in three-point attempts allowed per game.

Cleveland State ranks fourth in the 11-team Horizon League in field goal percentage and fifth in three-point percentage, but their three-point clip of 33.5% ranks only 206^th in the country.

But with how poorly FGCU defends the perimeter, the Vikings may be inclined to fire more than their usual 19 attempts per game.

Defensively, Cleveland State ranks 233^rd against the three, with opponents hitting them at a clip of 34.3%. That should be encouraging for the Eagles, who were only 8 of 25 from three against Army.

Neither team plays fast, but with a total short of 140 and the possibility of late free throws padding the numbers in what should be a reasonably close game, the over is very much in play and the play.

March Madness Information

Right now, we have comprehensive coverage of the college basketball postseason. Beyond our NIT coverage, all of our non-game content for this year’s NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments can be found in one place. Bookmark our March Madness main page to keep up with our picks, predictions, and tips on how to bet on the action at the best online sportsbooks.

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If you are looking for more college basketball postseason game coverage, we have plenty of that as well, in addition of this look at Florida Gulf Coast vs Cleveland State.

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