SportsLine’s model just made its CBB picks and predictions for Belmont vs. Dayton in the 2021 ESPN Events Invitational
By CBS Sports Staff
3 min read
The upset-minded Dayton Flyers take on the Belmont Bruins in the championship game of the ESPN Events Invitational 2021 on Sunday. The Flyers (3-3), who were seventh in the Atlantic 10 Conference at 9-7 and were 14-10 overall last year, advanced to the title game by stunning fourth-ranked Kansas 74-73 in Friday’s semifinal. The Bruins (5-2), who won the Ohio Valley Conference at 18-2 and were 26-4 overall in 2020-21, defeated Iona 72-65 on Friday. Belmont has made nine trips to the NCAA Tournament over the past 16 years.
Tip-off from HP Fieldhouse in Orlando, Fla., is set for 4 p.m. ET. This will be the first-ever meeting between the teams. The Bruins are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Belmont vs. Dayton odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is set at 143. Before making any Dayton vs. Belmont picks, check out the college basketball predictions 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 almost $2,100 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 Dayton vs. Belmont. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the college basketball lines and trends for Belmont vs. Dayton:
- Dayton vs. Belmont spread: Belmont -4.5
- Dayton vs. Belmont over-under: 143 points
- DAY: The Flyers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five neutral site games
- BEL: The Bruins are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games overall
Featured Game | Belmont Bruins vs. Dayton Flyers
Why Belmont can cover
The Bruins return 97 percent of their offensive production from last season’s OVC championship team. Belmont is led by All-OVC senior center Nick Muszynski, who averages 17.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and two blocks per game while connecting on 57.3 percent of his FGAs. In the 74-69 tournament-opening victory over Drake, Muszynski poured in 31 points while grabbing nine rebounds. He has recorded one double-double on the season, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in an overtime win over Furman.
Also powering the Bruins is junior guard Ben Sheppard, who is averaging 16.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. He scored a career-high-tying 25 points in the semifinal win over Iona. He has reached double-figure scoring in every game this season, including a 25-point performance in the season opener at Ohio. Last year, Sheppard was the OVC Player of the Week twice.
Why Dayton can cover
The Flyers entered the tournament with three straight losses but have been impressive in wins over Miami (Fla.) and Kansas. Three players are averaging in double figures, including redshirt junior guard Elijah Weaver. He is averaging 10.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and is connecting on 50 percent of his field goals, including 40 percent from 3-point range. He is also an 86.7 percent free throw shooter.
Also leading Dayton is redshirt sophomore Toumani Camara, who averages 10.8 points, seven rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The transfer from Georgia became the first eligible transfer to be named Preseason All-Atlantic 10 third team. He scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and a team-high seven rebounds against Kansas. In a season-opening win over UIC, he scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
